Part 3: It Never Ends : The Feud
by Soyna
Summary: A death changes the whole DBZ world upside down....Full of grief and angst... can the damage be repaired? The Last part of the INE Saga that I will be writting. Don't miss this exciting and original story. COMPLETED!!!
1. reintoduction

This is another addition to my long It Never Ends Saga.  
  
For you new readers, this first part summarizes very briefly the last two stories. If you think I need to clarify it further, let me know and I will amend it, or you could just red the whole story. It most likely is much less confusing. For my loyal fans, if you find something confusing in this summary let me, know and I will make it better. I am to close to the story and sometimes over look the obvious.  
  
I did want to keep it brief as possible and get most of the general ideas through so that you could understand it without reading the whole saga that I have written so far.(Which I hope you won't do.) Even though, I do strongly recommend reading the other parts to be perfectly clear on some points. They are good (for you new readers of my work)! I promise.  
  
I want everyone to enjoy my writing.  
  
Read the reintroduction so you can see where the story last left us.  
  
Soyna  
  
Oh yeah. and don't be afraid to e-mail me at syna@3web.net  
  
And the usual disclaimer: I DON'T OWN DBZ/GT. I do own my own characters though. They are mine. I wish the others were as well. Sigh  
  
This is the order of the stories. I have recently renamed them to help out some confused readers.  
  
Part 1: It Never Ends Part 2: It Never Ends -Haunting the Present Part 3: It Never Ends - Feud.  
  
Anyway.. Read on and REVIEW!!  
  
INE  
  
Reintroduction  
  
Feud  
  
It has been five years since we have heard from the characters known as the Z gang. You know some of them but I will reintroduce you, summarize and simplify, the story and the players in this third installment of INE(It Never Ends) Story line.  
  
We are all familiar with the character of Vegeta. He is the prince of all Sayians who found the only place in the world that he was welcome was a planet that he had once planned on controlling and destroying. He found a life that he never thought that he could have and grew to want to protect his new home and family. He could still be hard as stone, but he was more like a lodestone, than granite now.  
  
We all know Bulma, the woman who managed to crawl into Vegeta's heart and even manage to break Vegeta's shell from time to time. She had aged in the past five years considerably. She was starting to look her age but she was still the same old Bulma; loud and quick of temper when needed to be and carrying and emotional at other times.  
  
Then there is Goku and ChiChi who lived happily together. Goku was no longer as innocent as he once was and had actually seemed to grown up a bit. ChiChi didn't realize how much she missed that side of him at time. Goku was not the same since he parted with Shelong.  
  
I should explain this a bit, for those of you that have not read that part of this never-ending tale.  
  
To protect the dragon balls Goku fused with the dragon balls, which what seems like forever ago. He disappeared for a while and roamed the universe under the power of the dragon, which never had such freedom before he came home once again, with limited memory of who he really was.  
  
He came home to a much different looking family than the one that he left. It had grown sensationally. I will explain these players before I explain about how Shelong was taken from Goku.  
  
Goten and Trunks had gone on a search for Goku and had searched for him for five years and found nothing.  
  
When they arrived home, some new residents from another dimension. The FUTURE Trunks children and grandchildren surprised them. They had arrived from their newly desolated dimension by another foe, a foe that Goten and Trunks had encountered, not that long from arriving at home. The enemy's name was Krad. The leader of the Wodah's.  
  
We will talk of Junior first, for he is the youngest son of the Future Trunks. He looks just like Vegeta, minus the spiky hair. His eyes are green and very much like his mothers, whom, we he had never met, for she died giving birth to him. He was not much of a fighter. That came much later, for due to the great anguish and helplessness that he felt, he finally ascended to the next level. Junior was only 10 when the attack on his home happened: just a boy that didn't know how to fight and was nearly blinded because of it. He is much calmer than his sister (who I will detail in the next chapter) and was always trying to be the rational one. Even though he was younger than his sister, he was eager in trying to protect his sister.  
  
Next, there is Soyna. She was as good and even comparable fighter to that of Vegeta, even at the time, the poison that the evil Krad had inflicted her with held her power back a bit, she still prevailed. She was a smallish woman but that didn't stop her from looking very threatening. She had long red hair that had the Saiyian spikiness obviously present. Her eyes were a brilliant green and she is very beautiful. She acts much like Vegeta, but she was a little softer around her children. For she grows to have five in her family. Two from a previous marriage, back in her real time, and three with her current husband, who I will go into more detail over later, first, I will mention the children, for they are important players in the story.  
  
She has four boys and one girl. The oldest twins are Benot and Legen. Benot looks exactly like his grandfather, Trunks, with the purple hair, but with green eyes. Of course, he is a little cocky and mouthy for a kid, but then, he does have Vegeta's blood. Legen is a carbon copy of his own father, a man named Brennen. He had blond hair and a stocky body. He was going to be a tall boy, when he grown up. They are nearly 12 now and starting to look like the men that they are destined to be. The next set of twins is Flint and Flare. They are now six years old and strongly resembled their prospective parents. Flint just like his father, Goten, for those who don't know, and Flare looks just like Soyna. The only difference was that Flare had dark eyes like her father.  
  
Goten, looks much like his father, as was expected, even though he cut his hair shorter now, for it once was very long, but he now kept it trimmed, neatly. He won the heart of Soyna through his persistence and through the help of a wish made by the children who wanted nothing more but their mother back.  
  
Soyna had sacrificed herself to destroy Krad and his men (even as it turned out, to be unsuccessful) and the boys, her boys, Benot and Legen and with the help of Fry (Gohan and Videl had another addition in the 5 years of Goku's absence) tricked the dragon into granting the wishes to bring her back from the dead, a warning device, to get rid of the poison that was infecting everyone, no one being allowed to leave anymore, and Legen made the wish for a father.Goten.  
  
Now, you will notice that I only have mentioned 4 of her children. The fifth, I will tell of later. You need to understand a bit more about Shelong and Goku and the other unions that formed.  
  
The wishes had disturbed Shelong who had been content to be part of Goku, until it was time for Goku to pass, but if three boys of 5, could get the wishes out. Shelong wanted to roam again. He was restless, but a wish held Goku back. Shelong was looking for a way out but his restless didn't surface until another enemy had surfaced.  
  
Well, it was not a new one. It was Krad's son, Ligh that was plotting in the shadows, more of a side attack than an all out assault and he wanted the wishes more than anything else. He wanted to avenge his father's death at the vixen Soyna. Attacking the families in all ways: Work, Family and Love.  
  
Work, dealt mainly with Trunks who found himself toiling in the office for longer hours and he did not realize the extent of how his wife, Pan (Yes, Gohan and Videl's daughter) was feeling neglected. Love also came in here for Pan thought that Trunks was visiting other women rather than working. of course she was wrong and made a few mistakes in that regard. It nearly tore up their marriage and confused their shy little girl, who resembles Trunks more than her mother, with her purple hair and blue eyes. Crystal was 8 now and still shy. Ligh nearly succeed in breaking them apart, but now they are still together with another little girl who is 5 now and looks like her mother and even acts like her too, her name is Gem.  
  
Love and Family was mainly directed at Goten and Soyna. Ligh wanted to destroy her. He found a way. He found this time's Brennen, her former husband. Upon the sight of him, the wish broke. Not that she need the wish to love Goten, but she needed the wish to allow herself to love him.  
  
At that point, Shelong was searching frantically for a way out of the current fusion and found a way. The broken wish disturbed him. It unfortunately was in part the reason that Goku lost his innocence for he found himself infatuated with her and constantly dreaming and worrying about her. He didn't realize that it was actually Shelong's doing until later, but it still made him uneasy that he was thinking of her in that way. Of course, Shelong was not really interested in her, but became interested in her with the knowledge that she carried a little one inside her; Her fifth child.  
  
Brennen was just a pawn that Ligh used and it just about worked too. She would crumble at the sight of him as the fond and the bad memories would haunt her present mind almost to the point of agony. It occupied everyone's mind so much that they did not see the danger.  
  
Ligh just about won. Just about. He had the means for getting the wishes.  
  
The warning device that they had ignored was used. It did not give them that much of a warning as they touched the silver ball.  
  
Ligh used Benot to get the wishes, using his death to pull the dragon out of Goku, by setting his own conditions to the wishes.  
  
Ligh got one wish.  
  
But Soyna, in her grief, gave Shelong what he had asked for and wanted to initially refuse. She gave Shelong what he wished in return for what she wished. Shelong gladly did so.  
  
So everything returned to the way is should have been. Ligh was weakened. Benot was restored. But she disappeared for a while. She went back to her time, a younger time, and spent some time with her father and gave him the dire warning. She was even allowed to bring her father back with her for a while. It calmed her greatly having her father around for that short week, as the mark of the dragon began to fade from her skin and transfer into her child.  
  
For that is what Shelong wanted. He no longer wanted to be at the mercy of wishes. He no longer wanted to live like that and the child in her belly would allow him to leave a mere human existence but a much better one than the one that he was now enduring. An existence that could end at last.  
  
Despite her weakened state, he took the risk of becoming just carried by her, and became one with the child.  
  
And it succeeded.  
  
They named the little boy Cyrus. He was a small boy from birth and was born without a tail that some of his siblings were born with. He also turned out to be a sickly child, much to every ones surprise and hardly any strength at all. He had green hair and dark eyes and was a bright child at least, but he had to wear an inhaler around his neck just in case he had an asthma attack. Soyna told everyone that her grandfather had green hair and that is why his hair was such, but that was a lie. She knew it was the dragon's influence on him. She just didn't want anyone thinking of the dragon when they looked at her son.  
  
She didn't succeed at that though.  
  
The families were all very well connected with one another and were close. They all lived still on the Compound so that all the children could play together.  
  
The only one to move out of the compound was Junior, who moved in with his now fiancé, Marron.  
  
It was peaceful again and the worries about something attacking them were gone. The Silver Ball that was the warning device was placed in the center of the compound and it had stared out being touched by someone every day. Then every other day. Then once a week. Then, once a month. The last time it was touched was three months ago.  
  
Of course, they always expected enemies and danger to be large and looming things coming from somewhere to attack them and try to dominate them.  
  
Who knew that it could be among them that pain lurked and threaten to destroy the calm. The Silver Ball could not truly warn them of what was to come. They would not have understood the images that came forth, of an empty house.  
  
..  
  
A/N so, is it a good summary? 


	2. A death

A Death  
  
  
  
Vegeta shook his head as he watched Soyna dote over Cyrus and saw Benot rescue the poor child before he could be smothered and carted him off the school. She was so overprotective of him it was sometimes sickening. The boy may not be a weakling compared to everyone else, but the boy did not deserve to be so overprotected. He was not going to know how to ever defend himself.  
  
She looked so sad to see him go.  
  
"Are you up for it?" he called to her. She looked at him and smiled, the sadness leaving her eyes. Oh yeah. He had his sparing partner back. He had been looking forward to this for 5 years!  
  
...........  
  
"Thanks," Cyrus said to his older brother who was walking beside him and taking him to school for the first time. "Mom was being to clingy." He said. She was. She brushed his hair so hard that he had to water it down, so that it was not so frizzy and she checked his inhaler at least ten times before he even got his shoes on.  
  
"No problem," Benot said. "I had to save you from her. Man, I have never seen her so nervous about your first day of school!" Benot shook his head. "On my first day of school, she was almost happy to see us go, but then, Legen and I were much more than a handful that you are."  
  
"I don't know why she has to be so protective of me!" Cyrus said with a frown as he adjusted the book bag on his shoulders. "She acts as if I am going to break!"  
  
"You don't remember how sick you were as a baby," Benot said. "I think she still thinks of you like that." Benot sighed deeply and then tussled his hair that he just fixed before he left the house. "One day, she'll realize that you are growing up."  
  
"Once she realizes that she will have more time now to train again, she will be happy to send you off to school every day," Benot continued. "I am sure that Vegeta even misses training with her."  
  
"Then, do you think she will let up? I heard her last night talking about home schooling for me! I don't want to be home schooled!" he said and looked at his older brother with desperation in his eyes.  
  
"I don't think dad will let that happen," Benot said. "Let's not worry about that. Let's get you to your first day of school!"  
  
Cyrus smiled. He had been so looking forward to school and meeting other kids to play with. Some that were not so orientated on fighting would be nice. As they approached the school it seemed so big and there were so many kids. He looked wide-eyed and didn't realize he slowed down until his brother nudged him. He didn't think he would be so nervous.  
  
"I'll take you to your home room," he said  
  
He just nodded. He was hoping to send his brother away and just go on in himself, but now he was glad to have his older brother with him.  
  
He didn't think there would be that many kids here! And he felt so small! He knew he was the smallest in his family, but he didn't think he would be the smallest in the school and it was beginning to look that way. He felt his breathing quicken and his chest tighten. He took a quick puff off his inhaler.  
  
"Are you okay?" Benot asked him, his voice thick with concern.  
  
He nodded. He was just over excited and thrilled to be somewhere so different from home. Mom most likely would have already shuffled him back home if she saw him take a puff so soon. Benot didn't think he was that much of a wimp. Benot was the one of his siblings that he got along with better than anyone else, even though Flint, Flare and Gem were closer to his age, he rather play with Benot who wouldn't push him to hard. Benot never teased him about being not as strong as everyone else. It didn't seem to bother him like the others. It wasn't like he was contagious.  
  
"Here we are." Benot open the door and nudged him in. "Hey! You get Mr. Calaway!" He saw the thin balding man jump as he turned. He looked startled.  
  
"Benot," he said with a nervous smile. "It is good to see you." He obviously was lying. "Who do we have here?"  
  
"My little brother, Cyrus, is starting in your class," Benot said proudly.  
  
The man seemed to pale. "Oh. Another Son-Briefs. I just went through the last two of your clan." The teacher said with a nervous smile. "Are there anymore of them at home?"  
  
"Nope," Benot said. "None from my parents anyway." Benot seemed to enjoy watching his old teacher squirm. "And don't worry Mr. Calaway. Cyrus is a good kid. He is nothing like me and his siblings. He wants to be in school."  
  
"I certainly hope so," the teacher breathed. Benot seemed thrilled to have terrorized the teacher such.  
  
"Okay," Benot said looking down at him. "You got my cell number. Call me, not mom, if something goes wrong. I don't want her frantic at school."  
  
The teacher tensed at the mention of his mother. Did she intimidate everyone? He never understood why someone would be scared of his mom. He could understand why they were nervous around his dad. His dad was big, but his mom was small and pretty. She wasn't scary.  
  
"Okay," he said.  
  
"Stay out of trouble," Benot said and I will pick you up with Flint and Flare at three o'clock."  
  
"Okay," he repeated. He was starting to dote like mom.  
  
He stood up straight and said his goodbyes to the teacher. The teacher looked down at him nervously. "Take a seat Cyrus," the teacher said. "We will beginning soon."  
  
Cyrus couldn't wait!  
  
.............  
  
"You are not concentrating!" Vegeta snapped as he plowed Soyna into the wall. She slumped to the floor falling out of her ascended stage and groaned loudly. "You are out of shape!"  
  
She just shook her head. "You are pushing me to hard," she said and slowly tried to stand. "I have only been training with my boys for the last little while. I don't have the same speed that I used too."  
  
"Baa! That is no excuse!" Vegeta said. "You are babying them all!"  
  
She managed to stand. Her knees were all wobbly. She had to use the wall for support. Her chi was fluctuating like crazy. How could she let herself go for so long? "They are children! Not part of a military group!" One of her knees gave way and she fell to the floor panting. He could hear some mild curses come off her lips. She gasped as she pulled herself up once again.  
  
"How did you get so weak?" he scoffed and made the mistake of letting his guard down. After all the years they trained together, he should have known better.  
  
Suddenly, she did not look like she was tired out and was no longer panting. Her Chi rose dramatically from its once fallen stage. He was shocked at the sudden outburst of her attack and soon found himself pressed against the wall. She gave him such a smile that it almost scared him. "I have learned a lot from my boys, don't you think?" she said and she let him fall to the floor and he was gasping for air. The last punch knocked out all the air out of his lungs.  
  
He looked up at her in shock. "Your, Your chi was even fluctuating," he gasped and tried to recover as quickly as possible. He did not want to look weak in front of his granddaughter.  
  
"I know. Cool trick huh. Benot taught me that one. He would do that when he didn't want to train anymore but as soon as I said it was over, he would suddenly have all his energy back." She said with a smile. "He also used it to catch me off guard a couple of times. It works pretty good huh?"  
  
Yeah. It was effective. "When did you take acting lessons?" he grunted and was able to stand fully up now. He never even thought she would do that. In the past, she was such a diligent fighter that she wouldn't even stop when she was actually hurt.  
  
She smiled at him and chuckled slightly. "Just thought I would warn you before the boys try that trick on you. I think they are planning an all out assault to get back at you for all your hard training." She said. "So, do you think I have grown weak?"  
  
He straightened up. "Well, lets finish this without any further trickery," he said and attacked her as he boosted his power. She quickly showed him that she had been holding back in their previous fight.  
  
She had been toying with him!  
  
He grinned to himself. He couldn't be more proud!  
  
..............  
  
Bulma walked into the office that was once her and was now her sons. She sort of missed the work. Sort of. Seeing how her son looked right now was almost funny. He was trying not to yell over he phone but his voice was stained and the pen in his hand was now leaking all over the desk. She used to just throw things and pull her hair. It looked as if he had tugged at his hair earlier, for it was in disarray.  
  
She sat down and waited for her son to finish.  
  
He said a curt goodbye to whomever was on the other end of the phone and looked at her and his eyes were almost on fire. He looked so angry. He sure resembled his father when he was angry.  
  
"What is it dear?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing," he said as he noticed his ink covered hand and began to curse under his breath and began to look for something to clean his hand with.  
  
"Don't lie to me," she said in a voice that could only get a reaction out of her son.  
  
He sighed. "The contractor that we hired for one of the projects is asking for a hell of a lot more money than what he said he could do it for! And he wasn't even the cheapest bidder." He said and wiped his ink colored hand on the paper and then looked back at her. "Why are you here mom?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to see if my son was available for lunch. Vegeta is busy with Soyna today and I didn't want to watch them beat up each other." Bulma said. "All the grandchildren are at school now and I feel kind of useless." She confessed. She always had a little one of someone's to watch after, but now they were all going to school!  
  
She didn't feel like watching over Vegeta all the time. He was way too much of a handful and he tended to like to do things that were a little on the violent side. He left that up to Soyna. She was the fighter.  
  
Trunks frowned and looked at his calendar, and then smiled. "This will work. I have a lunch with Junior today. You are more than welcome to join us today mom. Junior will be there and you can ask him when he will set a date for the wedding so you can have more children to play with." Trunks knew that she wanted to have more grandchildren and great grandchildren around. She no longer had to really worry about the gravity training room breaking down. Hell, most of the kids knew how to repair it themselves and even had made some modifications on her design. The only child that seemed to need her was Cyrus and he would always join her in her lab and help her with whatever she was working on. He was such a bright boy.  
  
She smiled. "That would be nice. I promise not to terrorize him to much."  
  
Trunks grinned "Good, it is settled then and maybe, if you don't mind, you could help with this contractor. He is being really stubborn."  
  
She smiled brightly, "Sure." She wouldn't feel so useless then.  
  
............  
  
Cyrus was bored. He thought school was going to be interesting, but he already knew all the stuff the teacher was telling him and all his classmates were so immature.  
  
Mr. Calaway got mad at him once for doodling and thought that he would make an example of him. "Since you seem to know so much Mr. Son-Briefs, what is the name of all the planets in our solar system, since you like drawing planets so much?"  
  
He sighed. That one was easy! Of course. Mr. Calaway jaw nearly hit the floor when he told them what they were. He was not drawing planets in this solar system though. Although he had not traveled to the other systems he knew that there were quite a few out there. A lot actually and he knew a couple from the star charts Oma had lying around and there was a few that he just seem to know about. He had also listened with great interest to the ones that have traveled.  
  
He smiled at the teacher hoping to diffuse the shock. It only seemed to get him angrier though. What did his brothers and sister do to this poor guy?  
  
"Well," he said as he finished the talk. "You seem to know a lot."  
  
"I do," he said. He knew that he knew a lot. Oma told him that he was a lot like her with her same brains. He thought that was a good thing, because she was the smartest person that he knew. Some of the class giggled as he said that. Did he say something funny?  
  
"Don't be so smart!" Mr. Calaway snapped. "We are working on math here! Not astronomy!"  
  
He shrank in his chair. "Sorry sir," he whimpered. He didn't like getting yelled at.  
  
"Well, then why don't you show the class how smart you are by coming up here and doing this math problem."  
  
He nervously walked to the front of the class and wrote the answer on the board and then meekly went back to his desk.  
  
The teacher just stared at him.  
  
"What? Is it wrong?" He asked.  
  
..........  
  
She thought that being busy would make her feel better, but she still felt so sluggish and tired. It was good seeing Junior at lunch and she had not realized that she had not see Junior in a couple of months. The boy looked a lot leaner and stronger than before. He obviously was working out a lot more than he had in the past. He had his hair cut a little shorter now that he could transform. She remembered him complaining about how it would get in the way if he kept it the length it was before. She didn't bug him about setting a date even though he could see that he was waiting for it. She didn't need to bug him about it.  
  
As the lunch went on and she got filled in on all that was going on, the voices began to blur into a dull drone and her appetite was lost. She really tried to focus on what her son and Junior were saying but the words didn't seem to mean anything anymore.  
  
"Oma?"  
  
He looked over and had to blink. He looked so much like Vegeta. "Yes," she said. That was how Vegeta would have looked if he weren't raised so cruelly. She thought it was cute that he sometime still slipped and called her Oma. She sometimes wished she were able to have more children.  
  
"Are you okay?" His voice was softer than Vegeta's. Did she notice that before? She didn't remember. Of course, he never acted like his namesake. Which was good. Soyna, his sister, took care of that part.  
  
"I'm just a little tired," she said and felt weak all of a sudden. "I think I just need to go freshen up," she tried to stand and then remembered feeling like she was falling.  
  
The next thing she remembered was her son holding fanning her and she was lying on a padded couch. He was saying something. His mouth was moving but she didn't hear him. She was just so tired. She just wanted sleep now.  
  
.......  
  
Cyrus squinted and felt a sharp pain in his chest. The teacher was still mad at him. He could see that. He had done, what he considered complicated math problems on the board and they were not. Well, at least for him.  
  
He sat quietly now and folded his hands in his lap to stop them from twitching and tried really hard not to look bored and he was talking about something that he already knew.  
  
The pain increased. He took a puff off his inhaler and it didn't help the pain go away like it normally did. It was beginning to scare him. He took another puff and the pain only increased. He was starting to get scared.  
  
........  
  
Goku watched with envy as he watched Vegeta and Soyna spar. He knew that he had been spoiled the last while. Soyna was busy with her kids and that left him to spar with Vegeta, nearly all the time. well, three times a week. And there they were, trying to kill each other at 200 times gravity, both with golden hair and auras. He wanted to join in.  
  
But he was amazed at how good she still was. She had only been sparing with her children the last well, three years and it didn't seem to have stopped her speed or strength in any way what so ever. If anything, he was sure that her speed had improved.  
  
The problem was, there was no one else to spar with. Gohan worked. Trunks worked. Goten worked. Pan was even working now that both her children were in school. Junior worked.. Everyone worked or was going to school!  
  
He sat down and watched them spar. Maybe he should get a job or something. Maybe even go to school. If he could just think of something other than fighting that interested him, maybe he could do it. And well, it couldn't involve food, because that would be just to tempting. Maybe he could talk to Bulma about finding him a job at Capsule Corp. Bulma would.  
  
Bulma.  
  
.........  
  
Vegeta stopped in mid lunge and was greeted by a firm fist to the jaw that sent him flying across the room.  
  
Soyna looked at him with concerned eyes instead of attacking again. Did she feel that something was wrong too?  
  
......... 


	3. A funeral

Funeral Day  
  
.  
  
It was a large funeral for Bulma Briefs-Vegeta on a day that suited the grim feeling in everyone's heart. The sky was dark and threatening rain, but has not yet begun to start. There was a cold wind and everyone was wearing dark long coats and carried black umbrellas.  
  
Everyone showed up for the unexpected passing of the well-known woman. There was only a few remaining in the graveyard, and one that had stayed back from the crowd, not wanting to hear anyone's condolences. He was alone now while all the others went back to reminisce about how everyone life was going to be empty now without her.  
  
He had not spoken to anyone in the past week. Not because he didn't know what to say, but because he was afraid to talk, afraid that he would crack. Soyna and Bra were the only ones that he even allowed to come near him. Bra was painful to look at. He never realized how much she looked like her mother and she would look for comfort from him along with trying to comfort him at the same time. It was just to hard to be near her right now he chose to shun her to keep his own sanity. Soyna didn't even try to get him to talk. She would make sure that he had food and made sure that he ate it and they would just sit in silence together. She seemed to understand his inner turmoil. He growled at everyone else and even threw his own son out of the house.  
  
She was gone.  
  
She was too stubborn to die! She deserved a much more dramatic death than the one she had. She did not deserve to die in that lonely hospital room with doctors hovering over her! She did not deserve that at all.  
  
He put the hands on the cold stone that bore her name. It was not fair that she was the first to go. She was good. Good. Loud and mouthy but she was good! She was always there to build something to pull them out of the fire. Pull him out of the fire, so many times just with the.  
  
He shook his head and removed his hands from the stone. He could see that his fingers left marks there.  
  
He looked over to see his granddaughter standing with two of her children. Benot and Cyrus. They were waiting for him.  
  
Cyrus. She took care of Cyrus a lot. When Soyna needed her rest when he was sick, She was there to take care of the boy. She was always doting on the child as bad as Soyna did. She said that she finally had a grandchild that took after her!  
  
Benot opened and umbrella and walked away from his mother. He looked so much like Trunks did at that age. Was it starting to rain? He couldn't feel it against his skin. Cyrus opened his own umbrella that was shaped like a dragon, with a tail and two large red eyes and claws painted on the thin nylon. He knew that She bought it for him. He had asked her why she always had to buy such silly gifts for the children.  
  
Her answer was always a curt, "Well, because they are children, you big oaf."  
  
Flint had one that was an orange tiger, Flare had a black cat, Gem had a pink pig, and of course, Cyrus got the green dragon.  
  
Dragon.  
  
..........  
  
"Do you think Papa will come with us?" Cyrus said as he opened his umbrella. It was his favorite thing in the world. And now with Oma gone, he was going to treasure it even more.  
  
"I don't know," Soyna said. "We shall see," she said and looked distracted over to where Vegeta stood oblivious to the rain that was now falling on him.  
  
It was starting to get cold out. He actually preferred the cold weather to the warm. It was always easier to breath in the cool air and the moisture and the fresh smells didn't make him feel like he was so sick after all. His chest never felt tight in the cold weather.  
  
He looked over at his mom. She had been spending a lot of time with Vegeta. Trying to get him to talk or something. He didn't understand his moodiness but he couldn't blame Vegeta for being sad. He cried for three days and he didn't make it through the funeral, before he found himself crying into his father's chest. This was one time, when he cried; no one called him a wimp. Mom looked sad and her eyes looked tired beneath the hood that she wore. He knew that she wouldn't admit to being tired, but he would have to try to convince her that he was going to be okay so that she would go to be early. He would have to talk to dad to help him.  
  
He looked over at his brother who was talking to the driver of their car. It was waiting to take them back to the reception and he was getting anxious.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Hum?" she said and looked down at him. Her eyes looked dreamy. She was missing Oma as well.  
  
"I don't think we should wait for Papa Vegeta," he said.  
  
"And why is that?" she said looking back over to him. Vegeta was getting soaked and it looked like he didn't care.  
  
"I think he needs to be alone with Oma for a little while," he said and looked back up at his mom. "Plus, you know that he doesn't like cars." Vegeta was never one to like cars. He would always complain that it was faster flying.  
  
She gave him a sad smile and patted his head. "When did you get so smart?" She started to walk to the car and he followed careful not to get his new shoes to dirty. He heard a faint sound. He looked back over to Vegeta and saw that he had removed his hands from the stone and looked like he was shaking.  
  
But it could have been the rain.  
  
...............  
  
Goten had been waiting for his wife to return and had waited by the door for her to arrive. He took her coat from her and told Cyrus to fold up his umbrella. Benot then carted him off into the throngs of people that were in the reception hall.  
  
"Did Vegeta come?" he asked.  
  
"He looked like he needed to be alone," She said and sighed. She leaned against him and he gave her a hug. She had been doing this a lot lately. The first couple of times, it had shocked the absolute hell out of him, but now, he was used to it and gladly embraced her. Her arms wrapping around his waist and she rested her head against his chest. "I hope he will be okay."  
  
He absolutely reveled in holding her. Usually she would not allow that 'mushy stuff' in public, but her own sorrow for the loss of her grandmother, overpowered her usual manner and he liked it. He felt bad for thinking that way, but his wife was not that cuddly, unless they were alone. He enjoyed it and he did enjoy the envious looks that he saw coming from some of the men.  
  
"Let's go join the crowd," he said. "And you should eat something. I don't think you ate anything for breakfast, did you?"  
  
"I am a little hungry," she said and pulled away, but not that far, he was still able to keep his arm around her waist as they walked. She faltered a bit as they walked into the room with all the people. A lot he didn't know. He knew that most had to do with the company and such. He urged her forward as they came into the room. He could see her eyes instantly scanning for their children. Legen and Fry were talking quietly at a table next to Gohan and Videl. Legen looked exhausted. He had been hit by this hard and he wasn't willing to admit it. He was trying to keep a happy outlook but they could hear him crying at night. Benot was at the buffet with Cyrus and they were getting something to eat. Flint and Flare were with Gem in a corner talking quietly for now. Everyone was behaving.  
  
She relaxed and they went to join Benot and Cyrus who were filling up their plates.  
  
She glanced over to where Trunks and Bra stood taking condolences from mostly strangers. Junior was there too, due to the fact that he was a well know V.P. who was some how related to her, even though, outside the family, no one knew how.  
  
"Here mom," Cyrus said and handed her a plate. "The sweet cakes are really good. Make sure you have one." He said and looked at his own plate. "I have lots of them. They were Oma's favorite you know. You have to have one!" He said.  
  
"I will," she said and she moved away from him to join her son at the buffet line. Benot nibbled off his own plate.  
  
"Sandwich?" Benot said and offered his own plate to him. He gratefully took one, even though he wasn't very hungry. He and Benot got a long decently now. They seldom fought, even though they had a few tension filled days they were becoming few.  
  
"Thanks." He said.  
  
He attributed it to the fact that Benot finally realized that he did love his mother and there was nothing that was going to change that, at least the brat didn't call him a wimp anymore. Of course, he didn't call him a brat any more either. He was going to turn into a good man. He was more worried about the troublemaker Legen and his ever-ready accomplice Fry were becoming. He hoped that they would grow out of it. Of course, it took him until. well, until he was old to out grow that. It also took a woman.  
  
He looked back over to Soyna who was now moving away from the table with a plate that looked half empty.  
  
Of course, Cyrus plate was over loaded. The kid would only eat half of it and he most likely would finish it off for him. He was glad that he worked out or he was sure that he would have turned into a whale a long time ago.  
  
He saw that she was walking towards Goku and ChiChi who were sitting quietly and solemnly in the corner. He motioned to Benot and they went over to the table to listen to the stories that were to be told of Bulma and how much she was going to be missed.  
  
..........  
  
Vegeta watched them go and was actually glad to see them do so. He had no intention of going to that stupid party that they were holding.  
  
He didn't want to talk to anyone there.  
  
He started to feel cold. The rain. It was moving the chill into his bones. He looked down at the grave of Her and still couldn't believe that it was there. He slowly turned and walked away, the opposite way that he saw the others go.  
  
He allowed the rain to numb him. It numbed his mind and body as he walked and he didn't care. He really had no reason to care anymore, now did he? She was the reason that he had stayed.as much as he would have never admitted it.. He stayed because of Her.  
  
He had made himself believe that he stayed because he wanted to get strong enough to beat Kakarott. but that was not it. He stayed because She was not afraid of him and that she was the most beautiful creature that he had ever known. Not that he told her that.  
  
He stopped walking for a bit. He closed his eyes and let the cold rain wash down his face as he looked up to the sky. He never told her any of that.  
  
She hunted for it. She tried to get him to say stuff like that, but he never did. he knew that he should have.  
  
He looked down at the ground and started to walk again.  
  
If he had one more day, he would make up for all the stupid things that he said to her. He had done a lot of things to upset her and he would ignore her and he would. damn it. He blasted a tree, just trying to get some of the anger that he had at himself out of his system, but it was surprisingly unsatisfying.  
  
Again, he purposely allowed his mind to go blank and he tried to think of nothing and let the rain wash all the thought away, but it wasn't working. She kept popping into his head and so did the boy, Cyrus.  
  
She always had that boy in the lab with her. Always. The boy was a weakling with the brain of. well, Her. He had to admit. She was a smart woman and he was an equally brilliant boy. But he knew that was not why he was thinking of Cyrus. He was thinking of Cyrus because of the promise that he holds.  
  
A promise that he knew that was slim and so far out of reach, but it if could only give him just one more.  
  
.......  
  
"MOM?" Cyrus whined. "I'm not cold!" Cyrus said as he struggled in his sweater. It was way to big for him. Goten wanted to laugh, but he didn't want to have both of them glaring at him.  
  
"I don't care," she said. "You are not going to get sick!" She said. "Just roll up the sleeves."  
  
Cyrus eyes narrowed. He looked at the long arms of the sleeves that were dragging on the ground and the bottom of the sweater reached his knees. It looked so cute. Cyrus sure could get a certainly an evil look when he wanted to. Goten heard him mutter about something to the effect that the sleeve was all that he needed. He nearly burst out laughing at that.  
  
His snort was heard and he got the evil look from both of them. "He will be fine, Soyna. We'll just head right home."  
  
She nodded. "Okay then, you can take it off," she sighed.  
  
Cyrus gave a large smile and began to struggle to get out of the overly large sweater.  
  
"Hey," Legen said as he came up behind them. "Why is Cyrus wearing a dress?"  
  
Cyrus face went all red and he groaned as he struggled even harder to get the sweater off. Goten quickly went to his aid to help him.  
  
"Legen!" Soyna said.  
  
"What? Look at it. It looks like one of those sweater dresses," he said only to get a glare from his mother. "Well it does! It looks like the ones that Gem likes to wear!"  
  
Thankfully, Cyrus was now out of the sweater. He looked mad at his brother but he didn't say anything. There was a silent war going on in their house. It consisted of broken toothbrushes, missing combs, baby powder in hair dryers and other such things. He didn't keep track anymore. He was sure the children had their own little scoreboards going.  
  
"Thanks a lot Le," Cyrus said. "Make sure you take an umbrella out there with you. We wouldn't want all that gel you put in your hair to wash out and make you look like a human, now, would we?"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Soyna clamped her hand on Legen's shoulder. "Another time please," she said. "We do not need a feud here. Take your brother home."  
  
"Hey, is this some sort of punishment?" he said.  
  
"See is as you will, just do it," Soyna said in her usual stern voice. Of course Legen would do it. No one disobeyed Soyna. Legen grumbled as he picked up his coat and found Cyrus umbrella and jacket among the throng of jackets. He couldn't hear what they were saying to each other but it was sure not friendly. He had learned to block that out as well.  
  
"Make sure he takes his pills," Soyna called after him.  
  
"Oh, don't worry mom, I will!" Legen said and had an evil look on his face. Cyrus looked up at his brother angrily. Where was Benot when you needed him? Cyrus got along with Benot. Oh well. He found himself following his wife who was walking towards Trunks and Bra. They both looked rung out and ready to collapse at any time.  
  
He stood back and watched as his wife first hugged Bra and then Trunks. They talked silently for a bit. Then Pan came forward with a sleeping Gem in her arms and Gem was wearing one of those sweater dresses, a black one. Cyrus had looked like he was wearing a sweater dress! Pan came and stood by him. "Hey, uncle. How is everyone holding out?"  
  
"Okay." He said. Everyone was sad, but they would be okay.  
  
"What about Vegeta?" She asked.  
  
"I don't know about him. Soyna has been dealing with him. Not me," Goten said. He saw what he did to his own son, when Trunks went to try to consol with his father. He doubted that he would have a chance.  
  
"Oh," Pan said and looked over to her husband. "He blames himself for not getting her to the hospital quicker. So does Junior."  
  
Goten nodded. Trunks had come over two days after his mother's death and cried on his shoulder about how guilty he felt. He thought he could have got her to the hospital faster, or seen signs of it coming and told her to go to the hospital. Junior felt the same level of guilt. Both of them could not be swayed in their feelings.  
  
It was just her time to go.  
  
But they were not really willing to accept it.  
  
"It's hard," he said. "They may never really get over it," he never got over the loss of his father the second time around. even though he did get him back. He still knew that feeling that you kept locked inside when you lost someone that close to you. he had it happen so many times, even though he got them back.  
  
Bulma wasn't coming back.  
  
.............  
  
Cyrus sometimes, really hated Legen. He was soaked now and was cold now. Legen just laughed at him. "That's what you get for not hanging on! I thought you liked to fly."  
  
He frowned and growled as he went to change into some dry clothes and put his wet clothes out to dry. If mom saw that he got wet, she would make him stay in bed! She would give Legen a good yelling at-which would be good-, but he would have to stay in bed-which would be bad!  
  
He was going to make sure that Legen found a frog in his bed tonight!  
  
He put on his full rain gear and headed into the light drizzle and toward the pond. There, he would find the ugliest frog that he could find, and a couple extra for insurance! Drop him in the puddles and wreck his umbrella! Oh! He really hated being the youngest one in the family. Why was he the one that they were destined to pick on all the time?  
  
And he would most likely think that it was Benot or Flint that did it. (Flare would never touch a frog) It was a good thing. It would be Kodak moment! It would be one of those smile to yourself thoughts.  
  
He grabbed a bucket, his tattered umbrella and trudged out to the pond, and boy, was he determined to catch frogs. So determined, that he didn't see Vegeta approach him.  
  
............  
  
The pond looked quite peaceful. Normally, Vegeta didn't care about the place. He didn't. This was a place that the women liked and the children went to play in. It was not a place that he went to think. He did that while he was training.  
  
Did SHE like coming here?  
  
He didn't know.  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
The voice startled him as he saw a boy in a yellow slicker and hat holding up a frog in triumph. He laughed and tossed the green thing, into a bucket nearby, "Two more to go," the boy announced and turned back to the pond.  
  
He watched the boy for a minute, thinking that it was Flint. Flint liked to catch frogs. At least he remembered one time where SHE was screaming at him about bringing such a dirty creature into HER perfectly clean house.  
  
But then, he saw that the near the bucket, that was jumping around, there was the tattered remains of a dragon umbrella. He looked back over to the boy and saw that it was Cyrus. Cyrus. The boy was not allowed to be out in the rain, but here was jumping after a frog and yelling with almost abandon glee.  
  
Cyrus gave a yell of triumph as he caught frog number 2 and went back to the bucket with a large grin on his face. He hummed to himself as he placed the frog into the bucket and quickly closed the lid before it could escape. He then looked up and stopped humming. "Hi Grandpapa," he said. "Gee, If mom saw you, she would give you heck!"  
  
He just stared at the boy.  
  
"You are all wet. Are you okay Grandpapa?" Cyrus said as he put a foot on the bucket, as it was wobbling like crazy now.  
  
"I'm fine," he said in a husky whisper. He was surprised at how his voice sounded. It sounded, like, like, it did before.  
  
"You sure?" Cyrus said. "You still look sad. Oma went to a better place you know," Cyrus said. "She went to heaven and she will be reunited with her parents there. She missed them and she will be waiting for you. So don't be so sad. I'm going to miss her too. She was the best person to play with, but then, you know that, right grandpapa?"  
  
He just nodded his head.  
  
"Do you want to catch frogs with me? There for Legen's bed?" he said with a smile that he knew that he was going to refuse, even though he did look a bit disappointed that he refused. "Is there anything I can do, to help you feel better?"  
  
It was such an innocent question that set off alarms in his head. The boy was the reincarnate of the dragon. Ubu was the reincarnate of Buu. yet, he still had all the strength inside him.he needed to be trained, but it was there still. It had to be in the boy. Had to be! He just needed the right motivation to let it out.  
  
He had not really thought much of it before. The boy didn't have much of a strength signature, but then, did Shelong have one? He never remembered feeling one, but then, they were usually in awe of the dragon itself. He could not remember what, if anything he felt from the dragon. How did they know if the boy didn't still have those strengths? He never tested him. He knew that he tended to ignore the boy. He had nothing to offer him. Why would he bother with someone he couldn't spar with?  
  
The words popped out of his mouth before he realized he said them. "Wishes," his voice cracked and hoarse. It almost scared him and it defiantly scared the boy, who jumped and looked at him with big confused dark eyes.  
  
"Let me have one more day," he said. "Grant me that. That is obtainable!" He found himself walking towards the boy.  
  
Cyrus looked all confused. "I don't know what you are talking about, grandpapa. Maybe you should go in and take a nap or something. You look tired," he said and took a step back. "After a good nap on a rainy day, you will be able to think more clearly."  
  
Cyrus hat fell off his head and his green hair glistened with newly fallen rain. Much like the scales of a dragon. He had to have the power in there somewhere! He just had too!  
  
...... A/N I know. I know. another one of those terrible ledge dangler things. 


	4. All out ATTACK

All out Attack  
  
Thankfully the room was emptying. Goten was getting bored and tired of all these people that looked like they wore suits for a living and he was tired of wearing his own suit.. Well, his only suit that he owned and it was too small anyway. Soyna looked tired as well as she approached him with both Flint and Flare in tow.  
  
The plan was, that she was going to take them home, make sure that they were settled in and he would stay and help out Trunks and Bra with whatever they needed. It looked like they needed help shooing everyone out of the hall, so that they could go home. After all, it was a rather trying day.  
  
He wanted to go home too. Soyna did not look like her normal self and he wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay. She looked like she needed the rest. Not Flint and Flare who were very eager looking. They never seemed to tire out! At least, not when you wanted them too!  
  
He could see that the Z crew was now the majority of the people in the room, but there still were way to many suits for his liking.  
  
Trunk's was getting a pat on the back from Yamcha who looked as if he hadn't slept for a couple of days. He heard someone saying once that Yamcha and him was an item before Bulma met Vegeta. He couldn't see that, but from the look of him, maybe it was true. He wasn't about to be so tactless as to ask that stupid question at this funeral. Marron had arrived and was holding Juniors hand as if she were going to loose him. Junior looked like he was going to pass out any time now. Krillin and 18 stood close, by speaking in whispers to Goku and ChiChi. Yajerobi was there, standing back from the crowd and talking with Corin by the buffet. Ubu was standing with a girl that he did not know in a corner. Everyone was here, expect for Tien and the guy that looks like a mime, but they always tended to stay in the woods and were hard to get a hold of at the best of times.  
  
But his biggest concern was his wife.  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked gently as she fetched the children's jackets and umbrellas. It was still drizzling outside.  
  
She nodded. "Don't worry. Just make sure that Bra doesn't stress herself out to much," she said and glanced over to where Bra was standing with Raymond, well away from the rest. "She shouldn't be so upset in her current condition."  
  
He blinked. Current Condition? What did that mean?  
  
"Gee dad, you are so dense at times," Flint said as he was putting on his jacket. "She's pregers!"  
  
Soyna frowned and placed her hand on his head. He winced. He remembered that she used to do that with Benot and Legen all the time to get them to calm down, too. "Thanks for being subtle," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm.  
  
"No problem, mom," he said and winced further as she patted his head and told him to go wait in the car.  
  
"I didn't know!" he said and looked over at Bra. She wasn't showing yet.  
  
"Of course, you didn't. She is only two months along! Gee. You can be dense," she said with a smile and then gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "She is not listening to Raymond. Put your voice in. She may start to listen."  
  
He nodded. He knew how it worked. Raymond was the doctor. He knew best, but they were all stubborn and said that they were fine whenever they were hurt. Bra was no different that way, even though, she tended to be a little easier to convince than the others or even him.  
  
He nodded and went to bend down and kiss her but she was gone before he could. Well, he guessed that was pushing the mushy stuff a little bit.  
  
...............  
  
Cyrus had heard stories about how bad his grandpapa used to be, but he didn't believe them. Why should he? So he had a little bit of a foul temper. It was not much different that moms. Oma even used to say that he used to be someone that she was even scared of! He could not imagine Oma being scared of anyone. But seeing Vegeta looking at him like he was, he could understand how at one time, she could be scared of him.  
  
He was terrifying to look at. His eyes were ablaze with sorrow and a fury that he didn't understand. His hair was soaked and draped down to his shoulders. His clothes were soaked and you could see that his muscles were straining to stay under control.  
  
He may not train, but he knew what it looked like when you were trying to stop from powering up!  
  
"Grandpapa?" he said in a whisper.  
  
"You want to help me boy," his voice harsh, and so not like him. "Give them to me. I know they have to be in there. That kind of energy just does not disappear!" He saw Vegeta's arm dart out and he didn't know how he dodged it, but he thought it better if he does not let Vegeta get a hold of him. He heard Vegeta grunt and before he could look back, he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He wasn't quick enough to miss the hand that grabbed the hood of his jacket and pulled him back.  
  
"Quit hiding who you really are! Show yourself!" Vegeta said from behind him. He had no idea what he was talking about! He quickly undid his jacket and struggled out of his coat. Vegeta looked stunned for a moment, as he looked at the empty coat.  
  
"Grandpapa?" Cyrus said as he shivered in the rain. "I don't know what you want!" he said. He dropped the coat into the dirt and looked at him with those crazy looking eyes. He had never been so scared in his life! Grandpapa was desperate and he wanted something that he couldn't give.  
  
"You do," he said in a hoarse voice. "You just don't know it yet."  
  
Cyrus looked around for some sort of help but didn't see any. He slowly began to back away from Vegeta. "You can't run from me boy," he said. Cyrus knew that he was defiantly no match for Vegeta, but he knew that he just had to wait until someone came home that was! Legen was not going to be any help. He was most likely on the computer gaming right now. He wouldn't notice a thing!  
  
Where did Benot go after they ate? He didn't see him leave? Did he go home? He hoped so.  
  
He started to run. It was the only thing that he could think of. He ran and managed to dodge Vegeta's hands once more but was once again caught tight in his grip and this time, there was no way that he was going to be able to get out of the sweater he was wearing. Soon he was staring right in the face of fear himself. "You have to have it," Vegeta said, his voice full of desperation. He wished he could give him what he wanted. He would have like to see Oma, for just one more day too. But he had no idea as to why Vegeta thought that he could do such a thing! His eyes softened and looked they were starting to water. The grip loosened on his arms. "Just one more day." His eyes were looking at him, as if he was searching for something.  
  
"I don't know." he started and then found himself thrown aside.  
  
"You do! You do!" Vegeta said and shook his head. He stood still in the rain for a bit, with his hand pressed to his forehead. He found himself sitting in the mud staring up at a Vegeta he did not know. He was starting to feel the familiar tightness in his chest and he reached for his inhaler, but it was not there. He looked over to his yellow slicker and there it was, encrusted in mud. It wouldn't do him any good like that.  
  
Vegeta lowered his hand and looked up at the rain clouds and allowed the rain to wash over his face.  
  
"You just need the right motivation," Vegeta said in a much calmer voice than before. It was actually even scarier than his other voice!  
  
He could hear himself start to wheeze as he tried to get to his feet now. It was more of a panicked scramble, but he couldn't get much ground. The earth was so wet that he slipped. He cried out as he saw Vegeta raise his hand and point his finger. You could see the tell tale flickering of light that was starting to envelope his body and the sparks start to fly.  
  
He closed his eyes and threw his arms up into his face. He didn't want to see what it looked like to die!  
  
...............  
  
Benot was shocked to see Rose at the funeral. She said that her parents owned the hall and the catering company. He was more shocked to get sympathy from her. She turned out to be a really nice person when she wasn't calling him blueberry head, or he was calling her strawberry butt.  
  
He didn't realize the time that he lost talking with her and when he reemerged in to the throngs of the people, he could see that most of them were gone now. Which was fine by him. The only one left in his family was Goten and he looked like he was busy consoling Bra right now.  
  
He quickly gathered his stuff and flew home, despite the rain. The rain felt good. Refreshing almost. It was a long, long day. He was tired. He was looking forward to loosing his thoughts in a video game. He didn't want to think about the funeral anymore.  
  
When he felt the familiar rise in Vegeta's-- he was pretty sure that it was his-- Chi, he was shocked to see his aura in the yard.  
  
He was more shocked to see Cyrus cringing as Vegeta pointed at him and looking like he was about to attack! Cyrus! How? Why? He didn't think, but just reacted. He lunged at Vegeta with all he got and tried to tackle him. He knew that he was nowhere near his strength, but he couldn't let him hurt Cyrus! Vegeta turned the attack on him and it got him good. He didn't have time to block it completely, but he stopped a bit of it. It still sent him sliding into the side of the house and he couldn't get up after it. He could feel a couple of ribs crack and he could see that his right arm was not twisted the right way.  
  
Vegeta turned back to Cyrus. Cyrus was panting and holding his chest. He wasn't wearing his inhaler and he looked like he was scrambling to get away. He tried to call out to him, but the action of taking a breath it caused pain to flare up in his chest, that he had never felt before.  
  
He heard Vegeta growl lightly, "I am not asking much."  
  
That was when he saw his mom jump into the picture. He did not know where she came from. There was the truck, with Flint and Flare's faces plastered to the windows with large curious eyes.  
  
"I just want a day!" Vegeta said and let a flash of energy go from his finger, right at Cyrus, who screamed and threw his hands up over his face to try to brace for the attack. Mom somehow caught a bit of it and deflected it. Not enough though. He could see the rain turn red as Cyrus fell hard onto the muddy ground.  
  
Mom screamed. He had never heard her scream like that before. No, that was wrong. He did hear that sound before. It was the time that he died. She made that same awful sound that was so full of anguish that it was unbearable.  
  
Benot struggled to his feet, despite the pain that he was feeling. He had to check on Cyrus, but he froze where he was.  
  
Mom changed.  
  
Vegeta changed.  
  
Vegeta dark eyes turned wide with horror. He wasn't too sure if it was because he just realized what he had done or what mom changed in to. It wasn't the transformations that they were used to. Hell, they hardly even went to level 4 because they couldn't hold it for longer than half an hour in Vegeta's case and 10 minutes in Soyna's case.  
  
Mom was no longer mom. She was different that she was before. When mom transformed before, she was always more beautiful than she was in the last one. It was an advantage for her. He knew that she used that advantage on Goten lots of times. She purposely wouldn't transform, that next level up, for a while and then boom and he would always be flabbergasted. It worked to some extent on everyone else, but the best on Goten. This change was something he did not know about. He only heard a little bit about what happens with those with Saiyian blood and a full moon and turning into giant apes. He couldn't see that, but then, he wasn't born with a tail.  
  
But seeing his mother looking like an animal scared him. She grew a little bit, but she wasn't a giant. She went from his beautiful mother to this creature in a burst of energy. Even her aura was wrong. She usually had a green aura, and here it was red. Brilliant red and it looked almost, well, thick. She hovered over Vegeta now, being a barrier between him and the fallen Cyrus. Her whole body was thick with muscle and red fur. Her clothes no longer existed on her body. Her tail was flashing wildly behind her and she had a snout. She looked like a werewolf! The worst part of the whole thing, was her eyes. They were not his mother's eyes, they were black and vacant and full of pure fury.  
  
It happened so quickly. She looked down at the fallen body of Cyrus and her eyes actually flared red and she turned towards Vegeta. Vegeta had powered up as well but he was at Level 4, as they called it. He had no idea where his mother was.  
  
Mom let out a growl and opened her maw of a mouth wide and let out a blast that Vegeta dodged. By then, her feet had finally touched the ground one of her taloned toes dug into the ground and she lunged all out at Vegeta. It was so hard to see! She was so fast. Vegeta was even shocked at the speed. You could see it.  
  
Some of the dirt that was flung by her foot hit Cyrus, who sat up, as if he was startled. He was all right! He smiled with great relief as he tried to walk towards him. He couldn't move his arm. He was quite certain of that and his ribs ached.  
  
He kept one eye on the vicious battle that was going on. He had seen his mom spar so often that he was used to her moves, but they were different here. It was like the time, when he was little; when Krad arrived. she fought differently there. She fought without mercy and fought to kill!  
  
She was planning on killing Vegeta!  
  
And from the looks of it, Vegeta had the same plan in mind for her!  
  
"MOMMY!" Cyrus yelled and looked up at the two fast moving figures, they were not sparing. No energy was held back as the punches landed on each other and the kicks flew. Cyrus put a muddy had on his face. He could see that there was a cut there, but he was more worried about the wheezing sound that he was starting to hear, coming from his chest. He needed that inhaler before he couldn't breath at all!  
  
He looked up at the battle for the booms of the punches stopped. They had their hands locked and both were growling. Mom looked terrifying! Vegeta looked furious. He didn't know what was going on! Despite the pain, he ran to Cyrus. He was standing now and there were tears running down his face, mixing with the blood from the cut on his cheek. "Benot," Cyrus gasped. "Stop them!"  
  
He just looked at him. How was he going to stop them! He couldn't even get close to Vegeta before. "We have to get you inside," he said. He had to get him away from them, before they killed them, while they went on their rampage.  
  
"He has it in him," he heard Vegeta roar. "Everyone else gets another chance. Why can't I!" He yelled and kicked at mom, who just roared back at him and bit his arm. Vegeta screamed and looked as if he were going to put a fist through her skull. He winced and looked away. He covered Cyrus face.  
  
..........  
  
Goten felt it. He looked towards the others, to see if any of them felt that odd power. He could see that they did.  
  
Pan's eyes grew wide with shock as she helped Trunks who fell to his knees and looked stunned. He looked to Gohan who dropped the plate that he was holding. "What the hell is that?" he heard his brother say.  
  
"Dad?" He heard Trunks say as he caught his breath.  
  
It was looking at his own father that scared him. "Goten. We have to go now!" He didn't have time to respond as his father grabbed his arm and brought his fingers to his forehead, but by then he was to stunned to speak. He knew that something bad had happened and involved Soyna and Vegeta.  
  
At first he didn't understand what he was seeing. It took a few seconds for it to sink in. It just didn't seem like it was possible. Vegeta was ready to pound his fist through the skill of a furry monster. The monster had its mouth firmly planted on the Vegeta's other arm.  
  
Then he realized that the monster was his wife! The red aura was one that he had seen her reach once, she didn't transform, because he had stopped her before she could reach this far, and was very grateful for that right now.  
  
Vegeta's fist hit the target and with the amount of force that he knew that Vegeta put in that fist, she should have been knocked to the ground. But she wasn't. She just let out an awful howl and let go of the arm with her teeth and they flew apart for a second.  
  
"He didn't mean it!"  
  
He blinked and looked to where Cyrus stood, covered in mud and soaked with rain. Benot had him by one shoulder and was trying to drag him back away from the battle zone. Cyrus looked like he was having trouble breathing.  
  
"Mom!" Cyrus cried and started to cough. He then saw the blood that covered his right cheek. He was bleeding! He got hurt! He ran forward but was knocked down by the boom of Vegeta and Soyna's next hit on each other. They were both out of control!  
  
He then realized that Benot was injured as well and was struggling to stay on his own feet. He looked like he was ready to drop. His right arm sure didn't look right.  
  
The two warriors separated. Vegeta was no longer at level 4. He had dropped back down to normal. Soyna was not done with him yet though, and as Vegeta started to sink, he saw the creature that was once his wife let out a growl, throw it's arms wide, and bind Vegeta in her famous Solar Bind, at least a variation of it. Her usual attack was one band of energy that she usually just wound once around the person and knocked them to the ground. This attack looked very similar but it bound Vegeta in an electric looking cord from his feet to his shoulders and it looked like it was tightening.  
  
Vegeta screamed.  
  
He had forgotten about his father, with his concern for his wife and children that were in the way of the battle. Dad appeared behind her and swung and punched her hard in the back.  
  
She buckled briefly but quickly turned herself around and lunged back at Goku, with surprising speed.  
  
Cyrus coughed harder. He picked up the boy and put him under one arm. He could feel his whole little body shaking. He grabbed Benot by the other and made sure that it was the uninjured arm. He ran them towards the house, so they wouldn't be in the center of the storm. "Dad," Cyrus gasped. "He didn't mean it." He said and coughed harder. He patted his son on the back and looked at Benot who looked horrified as he was watching the battle.  
  
"Mom is a monster," Benot whispered. "That's not natural, is it?"  
  
He didn't know the answer to that. He really didn't know. He looked up to see his father doing a pretty good job with keeping up with her, but she had an advantage. She was willing to kill to get the job done. He could see it in those dark vacant eyes. Dad never went in to battle with the intention of killing someone.  
  
"Goten!" He heard his father yell as he avoid a fist in the jaw, only to get kicked in the stomach and thrown down into the muddy ground. Soyna turned back to Vegeta, who had finally stopped screaming but was still struggling against the solar bind. He had freed one arm. The energy seemed to grow in the white light and Vegeta's struggles stopped. He clenched his teeth tightly as if he were trying to stop a scream.  
  
"Stop her dad!" Cyrus yelled at him between the deep gulps of air he was taking. "Stop her!"  
  
"The tail!" Goku yelled at him and he lunged at her again. "Cut it off!"  
  
Goten looked down at Cyrus, who was wheezing and shaking and crying and.and Benot, who looked like he was on the verge of collapsing but still riveted to the monster that his mother had become.  
  
She gave Goku another hard blow and he could see his father falter. He had to act and act quickly.  
  
"Soyna!" he yelled but she did not respond. She grabbed Goku by one of his legs and began to swing him around.  
  
"MOMMY," Cyrus said and started to cough quite badly. Benot looked terrified at what he was seeing. He had to get him to the doctor. He had to get Benot to the doctor. He had to cut off her tail.  
  
Goku went flying with a scream and her attention was now turned back to Vegeta. He had a leg free now but he looked like he was in serious pain. Soyna pulled a hand back and he saw the horrible energy that she was building up there. He did the only thing he could think of, and that was to create a destructo disk. He was not very good with it. It was not a technique that he master, but he knew enough. If she stayed intent on trying to kill Vegeta, he could throw it and slice off the tail that she had refused to cut off until this point.  
  
She let out a terrible roar.  
  
The energy that bound Vegeta vanished in a flash. It startled Vegeta for he fell over as he did so, but the ball of energy that she was preparing to throw was growing. It looked like he couldn't get up. Where the energy band had been, it looked as if he was burnt.  
  
He threw the disk that he created.  
  
.......  
  
Wow! Does he cut off her tail? Will Vegeta live? What the hell has Soyna turned into? What will happen next? Stay tuned! 


	5. Changing of the Z world

Changing of the Z world.  
  
..  
  
"We got to get home," Trunks said urgently.  
  
"What's going on, daddy?" He looked down at his shy little girl, Crystal, who was holding onto his hand with a vengeance.  
  
"I don't know," he said simply. He didn't know what was going on. The feeling was just awful. it wasn't like someone was attacking them. It didn't feel like there was someone evil attacking them, but it sure didn't feel right and the problem was, that he knew it involved his father. He knew it did. "Why don't you go to your mother? I have to get home."  
  
But she wouldn't release his hand. She seemed to hold onto it even tighter. "No. You don't have to go. You can stay here and protect me," she said in her small voice. So, she was feeling it to. He sighed and pulled her close to him. He wasn't about to abandon her. She may be turning into a woman, he saw evidence of that all to often now, but the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt his little girl.  
  
"Okay. I'll stay," he said even though he had such a strong urge to run towards where the odd energy was coming from.  
  
Crystal smiled. "It is safer here, daddy."  
  
He saw Goku race towards Goten and leave in an instant flash. Gohan, Krillin, Junior and Yamcha left not soon after. He really wanted to join them.  
  
Pan, Bra and Marron looked at him anxiously. Raymond just looked confused. "Why did everyone leave in such a hurry?" His face fell a bit. "Nothing bad is happening again, is there?"  
  
"I don't know," Pan said. Gem was no longer snoozing but looked rather alert and confused.  
  
Marron chewed her lip. "Junior was sure something was wrong with his sister," Marron said and looked at him with scared eyes. "What could those two be doing?"  
  
Trunks closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the two strong powers that he was feeling. He knew that one was his father, but he was not sure about the other, it sort of felt like Soyna. Sort of.  
  
They wouldn't be sparing on a day like this. Not on the day of his mother funeral. plus, it didn't feel like they were sparing, it felt like they were trying to kill each other.  
  
It couldn't be Vegeta vs Soyna. Could it?  
  
..........  
  
It was to late. She let the ball of energy go before the disk reached her and she was able to dodge it! The disc sliced through a tree and then disappeared.  
  
He should have been quicker!!  
  
The energy crashed into Vegeta with a terrible earth cracking force. Vegeta was blocking but he saw that he was pushed deep into the earth and was now at the bottom of a crater, looking as if he was out cold.  
  
Soyna still hung in the air and she seemed to be smiling, but she was still that beast.  
  
Goku just pulled himself out of the rubble and lunged himself at her.  
  
"Daddy," Cyrus wheezed. "He didn't mean it."  
  
Goku grabbed one of her arms only to have her turn the tables on him and grab his arm right back and tried to throw him back into the rubble that he started out in, but Goku hung on. He could see the pleading look on his father's face.  
  
He lunged forward and meant to create an energy beam to slice through her tail, but was shocked to see his father coming right at him. It happened in a blink of an eye and he ended up on the muddy ground with his father on top of him.  
  
........  
  
Benot was frozen with horror. He couldn't believe what was happening. This stuff just wasn't right. It was all supposed to be over! Over! Long over! They defeated all those enemies and people that threatened them. There was so many in the past, why did they have to fight each other now! Couldn't they just live in peace.  
  
He watched the monster drop from the sky into the crater that Vegeta was in. He was awake now. He could see Grandpapa trying to crawl out of the muddy bowl. He looked so horribly hurt. She stood in front of him. Vegeta didn't seem to see her until she put one of her horribly clawed feet on his hand.  
  
Vegeta gave out a weak cry and looked up. He looked as if he had given up.  
  
Cyrus was breathing pretty heavy. "MOMMY!" He managed to scream again and then collapsed to his knees and then in a whisper, "He didn't mean it." His skin was turning so white. He knew that he should be doing something to help his little brother, but all he could do was stare at the monster.  
  
His mother.  
  
He watched as Goten emerged from beneath Goku and lunged forward. A move that looked like it was pure desperation.  
  
The monster saw it and got ready for defensive mode, still with its foot pressed firmly on Vegeta's hand. He saw that Goten wasn't going for a body shot, he was going for her tail. Isn't that what Goku was yelling at him? He wasn't too sure. But the tail was no longer attached to his mother. He didn't see how it happened but it was now in Goten's hand.  
  
The monster let out a scream. The hair started to disappear from her and the scream turned into his mother cry as her red aura changed back into the normal green. She was back. His mother was back and she sank in the muddy earth beside Vegeta.  
  
Cyrus started to run towards her. He stumbled and he couldn't make himself move to stop him.  
  
The rain that covered her body, looked like it was steaming off of her. She looked as if she was burnt. Goku put his jacket quickly over her naked body as Goten looked on.  
  
Benot blinked.  
  
Suddenly everyone was there. Where did they come from? Goten was holding mom in his arms and she looked different. She looked as if she were burnt. like that one other time.a long time ago. she had similar burns. Cyrus had his inhaler now and was puffing on it, but he was still muddy and standing in the rain. Legen was beside him. He must have come out when he heard the commotion. Someone was helping Vegeta. It was uncle that lifted the nearly lifeless body into his arms.  
  
Benot blinked.  
  
Yamcha and Krillin were looking at him and saying something to him. what was he saying? He couldn't hear him. He could only hear the rain.  
  
Flint and Flare were standing under their umbrellas and looked a little scared. Goku was trying to comfort them.  
  
"Benot" The voice was so distant. He looked at Yamcha who had a worried look on his face. "I'm going to take you to the hospital now okay. Raymond will look at you there."  
  
Hospital? Why would he need a hospital? But before he could ask that question, he blinked again.  
  
..........  
  
Cyrus didn't want to be doted on! He really didn't. The cut on his cheek wasn't that bad. So what if it needed a few stitches. It didn't hurt anymore and he didn't want to wear the damn oxygen mask either. It was annoying. He felt better now. He wanted to go see mom! He wanted to make sure that she was okay. He also wanted to make sure that Vegeta was okay. They looked like they nearly killed each other!  
  
He hadn't seen dad since he disappeared with Raymond and uncle Junior sure wasn't being much help.  
  
"Do you know what happened?" Junior finally asked him.  
  
"Grandpapa was just a little sad that was all," he said. "He really didn't know what he was doing." He knew that he wouldn't have really hurt him. Well, not that much.  
  
"What do you mean?" Junior said and looked at him confused.  
  
"He was talking all crazy. He wanted me to have one more day with Oma. He thought that I could bring her back for him and when I told him that I don't know what he was talking about. well, he started to sound real mean." He paused for a moment and looked at the look on is uncle's face. "Do you know what grandpapa was talking about?"  
  
"Uh," Junior said and looked away from him. Mom was right. He was a really bad liar!  
  
"Uncle!"  
  
"I don't think."  
  
"What? You knew what he was talking about?" He could see it almost written all over his face. He could see it.  
  
"Well, yeah, but I think that your mother should talk to you about that," he said with a sad look on his face.  
  
"Grandpapa said something like, that kind of energy just doesn't disappear. What energy is he talking about?" he said and saw the comfort level of his uncle grow by a factor of 10!  
  
"Uncle!"  
  
"You see, Cyrus," he said and cleared his throat. "There are a lot of things that happened before you were born and I can't really explain them all that well."  
  
"Can you give me clue?" He begged. He knew it was something big. It was something really big. He could see it in his uncle's eyes and the way that he ran his hands through his hair.  
  
It was something big all right!  
  
It looked as if Junior was going to budge. It looked like he cracked the surface but then, Benot who was in the other bed started to moan. He had been out cold since he arrived at the hospital. He slept through the doctors x-raying him and wrapping his chest and casting his arm. He suddenly sat upright in the bed and looked around him panicky.  
  
"Benot?" Junior said and went to his side. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Benot seemed to calm down at the sight of his uncle and leaned back in the bed. He examined his arm and touched his chest. He turned his head to the side and looked at him. "You okay, little guy?"  
  
"I'm fine," he said. "How are you doing?" he asked since he seemed to be ignoring uncle.  
  
"How did I get hurt?"  
  
.............  
  
It had been three days. Three long days! She had not even looked as if she was going to wake up. She looked terrible. Her whole body was covered in what looked like black charred skin, that when she did move or someone moved her, would show angry red skin underneath. She didn't even complain when she had her daily bath that would scrub away the black layer that formed. Her eyes would sometimes open, but she just was not responding. She would go right back to sleep!  
  
He remembered vividly the last time she had this type of burn. It only affected her legs, her fingers and the tip of her nose and it went away so quickly. Of course, they had all thought it was because of the poison that was in her system that was stopping her from achieving the higher levels that she could before. They never thought that she would have turned into a ¼ monkey from the description that Cyrus gave them.  
  
He sighed. Cyrus. The boy was asking so many questions now. Questions that he didn't want to answer. Questions that he had hoped would never come.  
  
They had decided that they would not tell him that he is part of the reincarnate of the dragon. They didn't want to upset him. But then, now he wanted to know why Vegeta attacked him and what he had meant by that power like that just does not disappear!  
  
He was too young.  
  
Then there was Benot. He was still in the hospital, more because the doctors are worried about why he doesn't have any memory of his injury. He did. He did remember, at least in his dreams. The boy was having terrible nightmares that involved a monster chasing him. He was going home today.  
  
And in the room down the hall, lay Vegeta. The doctors say it is a miracle that he is alive. He had shown no signs of stirring yet, but Bra vigilantly sits in the room, waiting for her father to wake.  
  
Of course, they all wanted to hear what Vegeta had to say about the attack on Cyrus. Cyrus kept saying that he didn't mean it. But then, he didn't really understand the nature of the attack.  
  
He didn't understand.How was he going to explain to him about the dragon?  
  
Her rubbed his forehead and groaned.  
  
"Son?" He looked up at his father. He looked as tired as he felt. He wasn't that hurt by Soyna. He thought it was the first time that dad's pride was hurt! "How is everything?"  
  
"They are going to let Benot go home today. No other changes," he said and stood and was greeted by a hug from his father. He was a little stunned at first but then gladly allowed himself to lean against his father. Something, that he never remembered doing.  
  
Mom was with him and he quickly moved his hug to her and she cooed at him like he was 5 again. He didn't complain about being treated like a child. He rather liked it for a change. Maybe because he felt so helpless right now.  
  
"They'll wake up soon and everything will get back to normal," mom said.  
  
He doubted that so much.  
  
......  
  
What will the Z world be like after they wake up? How will they tell little Cyrus about his origins? Oh? So much yet to say! 


	6. Terms

Terms  
  
  
  
  
  
He turned his head and saw a mass of blue hair.  
  
He blinked a few times to make sure that it was there. He reached over and touched it and right away his heart sank. It wasn't HER, being annoyingly worried about him. It was Bra.  
  
She raised her face and smiled sleepily at him. "Your awake!" She reached out and patted his hand and he couldn't help but wince. His hand was all bandaged and he could see some spots of blood through the white bandage. Soyna had stepped on his hand. He had felt a couple of the bones crack under the pressure.  
  
He closed his eyes and remembered the battle all to well. He shocked when Soyna changed right before his eyes into that monster that attacked him. He had been shocked but he had fought back. He was still only thinking of HER and seeing HER again. It wasn't until he understood why she had transformed into the monster that he was fighting against that he stopped really fighting her.  
  
He recognized the aura. It was one that he stopped her from going to a few times. The most extreme one was when he had to break her arm before she lost control. He understood now what it was and why he had stopped it before. She had not been trying to push herself over the limit to get to that elusive level. She had been trying to stop herself from becoming overwhelmed by anguish.  
  
He had deserved everything that she gave him and he actually was mildly surprised that he was still alive and a little disappointed too.  
  
He had attacked his own family member. He had lost control. A control that he had thought that he had long ago mastered, but obviously, he did not. He deserved much more damage than was done to him. He looked over at his daughter who was looking at him with large watery eyes.  
  
He closed his eyes and allowed the sleep to come again.  
  
He did not deserve the family that he had.  
  
He deserved nothing!  
  
..........  
  
It was not what he expected to hear when she first came out of her stupor. Her skin just looked like she had a really dark tan now, even though it looked like it still pained her quite a bit. Not that she would admit to such a thing.  
  
"You cut off my tail," she had said in a curt voice and her green eyes just bore right into him. It threw him off guard for a second before her gaze lowered and she muttered that she was sorry.  
  
"Why are you sorry?" he said and sat next to his injured wife. He knew better than to try to touch her. Last time he did, and it was only a tap on the hand, she had screamed bloody murder at him. She tried to act like she wasn't still hurting, but he knew her better than that.  
  
"I do not remember. well. I just know that I had to protect Cyrus. I don't know where I lost control," she said. "I attacked your dad too, didn't I? I will have to apologize to him as well."  
  
"What about Vegeta?"  
  
"He's dead isn't he?" It wasn't a question. She really thought that he was dead and she didn't seem to upset over the thing. She turned her eyes to him again and this time asked the question in a bitter voice, "Isn't he?"  
  
"Well, no," he said and he could see the anger rise in her.  
  
"I thought I had killed him!" she said. "Why did you not finish him off?"  
  
"Finish him off? For what?" he said and stared at his wife in absolute astonishment! He didn't think that she had actually meant to try to kill him. He thought maybe, that she just got swept up in that weird transformation that she did.  
  
"He attacked Cyrus!" She said in a raised voice. "He attacked blood that was his own and he meant to hurt Cyrus! I could see it in how he moved! Why didn't you finish him off?"  
  
He shook his head. "We need to talk to Cyrus." He had other worries now. Cyrus had been asking him what Vegeta had meant. He wanted to tell the boy, but he couldn't do it alone. He needed her there.  
  
"You are changing the subject," she said curtly. "I want an answer."  
  
He chose to continue on his own train of thought. "Vegeta was asking Cyrus for the wishes, Soyna. That is why he attacked him. He wanted Bulma back and he thought that if he had to 'persuade' them out of him." Soyna looked horrified. Her stoic angry mask vanished in a flash. "Cyrus has been asking about what he meant and I think it is time that we tell him. He has been pestering Junior and I, the whole time you have been in here."  
  
"We have to tell him."  
  
Soyna blinked her eyes rapidly.  
  
"I know that you did not want to burden him with such a thing, but he has to know before someone else tells him, why Vegeta tried to hurt him. He has to be prepared for other such things," Goten said and looked at her face. The anger had returned.  
  
"He should not have to worry about such things!" she snapped. "He was supposed to live a normal life! He wasn't supposed to worry about anyone trying to hurt him, least of all someone from his own family. How the hell can you protect someone from their own family members?" She shuffled her position and groaned. He tried to help her, but she just pushed him away. "Where is Cyrus?"  
  
"He's at school today," Goten said.  
  
"What?" She said and looked at him with that anger. "He was hurt. He should be at home resting still."  
  
"Soyna, it has been nearly a month."  
  
The shock returned to her face.  
  
...........  
  
Cyrus kind of like the attention his new scar was giving him. The story that he made up to go alone with it went over just as well. He couldn't tell everyone that his grandpapa shot an energy beam at him, hoping to scare him into doing something that he couldn't. He told the story that him and his brother Benot were mugged on the way home. Which looked to be pretty true. Benot still had the cast on his arm and walked around as if he were a zombie as of late.  
  
He admired it in the mirror and ran his finger along it. Uncle Raymond said that it would heal over time and the scar would go away, but he hoped that it never would! He liked the scar!  
  
He really liked the scar! It was the coolest thing. Everyone looked at him as if he were cool.  
  
He hoped that it would never fade. He never had so many friends before and he liked the center of attention. Being the center of attention because of some action, not because he was sick.  
  
It was time to go home now though. He sighed at that. Legen and Benot would arrive soon to pick him up along with Flint and Flare and take them to the hospital. Not that he would be allowed to see his mom or Grandpapa. Legen and Benot would be allowed to, but he wasn't. He was pretty sure that he saw Flint and Flare sneaking in there to see her, he didn't know why he was not allowed to enter and was forced to read a book in the cafeteria until dad came out and tell him the usual garbage of that mom as going to wake up any day now.  
  
He would ask if he could please tell him. He didn't have to wait for mom to wake up. He obviously knew what Vegeta had meant. Goten would just shake his head and then he would get carted home by either ChiChi or Bra, who would cook him dinner and send him off to bed.  
  
He hated being the baby!  
  
He went to the usually spot that he waited by. Flint and Flare were amusing themselves in the playground, like they usually did. He seldom played with them on the school ground. He was a measly first grader and they were the cool second graders that everyone looked up to and then would look at him and wonder how they could be related.  
  
He was happy to see Benot and Legen round the corner. A little shocked to see Benot talking to a pink haired girl. He still looked like his newly depressed self but a little bit perkier. Legen looked a little mad that the girl was talking to Benot and not him. If it pissed off Legen, then it was a good thing!  
  
"So, this is your little brother," the pink haired girl said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah, the little brat," Legen grumbled under his breath. He was still mad at him about getting him in trouble, for letting him out in the rain, and the frogs that eventually did end up in his bed, even if he had to recruit Grandpa Goku to get them for him. He believed that he was still grounded. Goten came down pretty hard on him. Legen was having computer withdrawal syndrome.  
  
"Hey!" He snorted back at his brother. It still didn't mean that he should talk to him like that.  
  
Benot just sighed. "We have to get going now Rose. Thanks for walking with us."  
  
She smiled and gently touched his arm. "I hope your mom wakes up soon," she said and walked away. Wow. He didn't think that Legen could actually have steam coming out of his ears. Benot sort of watched her walk away, but he still had a glazed look on his face and didn't even notice the fury that Legen was in. He couldn't help but smile at his brother. Flint and Flare bounded next to him and started to babble about what they did in the day.  
  
They started to walk to the hospital, as it was only a few blocks away from the school anyway. He fell in beside Benot. He still had not recovered from his injuries and he still didn't remember how he tried to save him. When he told him, Benot just shook his head and said that he would never attack Vegeta. He was not near strong enough to even go near him. He stopped insisting that that happened a while ago. It was just easier hoping that he would remember on his own.  
  
"Do you think that mom will wake up soon?" Flint said to him. "It has been quite a while and when I last saw her, it just looked like she had a good tan."  
  
"You saw her?" Legen said. "When did you sneak in there?"  
  
Flint quickly put on that goofy smile. "I - uh- peaked in the door- yeah. the door."  
  
Legen just shook his head. Flare was smart enough to just keep her mouth shut on the matter. She knew when to let her twin take most of the heat, even though it was most likely her idea.  
  
"She burnt herself pretty bad," Benot said as he looked at them. "It wasn't like before. This time, she did herself pretty good."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Legen said. "She never got burnt before."  
  
Benot seemed to break through his own daze. "Yes she did! Remember that time, when Vegeta brought her home from the Wimp's house. She had been training and she had pushed herself to far! I remember her coming home and complaining about the burns on her legs, and her fingers, and her nose was all black. Don't tell me you don't remember?" Benot said. "You were jumping around like a fool because you thought that mom was dating the Wimp!"  
  
Legen rubbed his chin. "Oh, yeah," he said with a smile. "You were so mad at him because she came home in his clothes.Ha!"  
  
"She came home in Pan's clothes! Which was just as bad!" Benot said and shook his head.  
  
"Who's the wimp?" Flare asked and Cyrus was glad to see that Benot actually laughed for a change.  
  
..........  
  
He couldn't help but groan as he sat up in the bed. His whole body was abnormally stiff and it felt as if he had been freshly stomped on. He refused to take the pills that Raymond had offered. He did not deserve to have his pain lessened. He had seen how he looked in the mirror. He looked horrible. He looked like he should be dead. When Bra brought in his food, he refused to eat it at first, but he gave in when her eyes started to water. She did not deserve to suffer.  
  
Of course, he also noticed that she was getting thicker around the middle. A look that he didn't even have to ask her if she was with child. She was glowing, despite all that was happening. Just like she did with her first little girl, a grandchild that he ignored for she no interest in learning how to fight. He ignored most of the girl, except for when they approached him. None of them wanted to train. Only little Flare was showing any interest but was still being drawn into those silly girl things that he didn't understand. He hardly saw his own true grandchildren, for they were all girls and they seemed to be afraid of him, especially Crystal. The girl was always hiding behind her father.  
  
He shook his head. These were worries that he should not be pondering on! He fought long and hard not to try to think like this, but he had lost out a long time ago. He tried hard not be so like the humans. he tried.he failed.  
  
He failed miserably. He knew it was HER fault. HER. She was as stubborn as he was, even more so at times. SHE was patient with him and it wasn't really until Bra was born that he gave up on that fight. At least when Bra was born, he sort of knew what to expect, even though he had been hoping for a boy. He never thought he could be close to his children. It was already to late for him and Trunks.  
  
He closed his eyes and grit his teeth together.  
  
He knew he changed again when he had a grandchild that was so like him. Soyna was so much like him and he enjoyed having someone to spar with, who was as passionate about getting to the next level as he was. It had become so important, even in the times of peace to stay on top of the game, and she understood that! She understood how important it was to see how far they could go.  
  
Bulma had just thrown her hands up as they both had trained constantly together, but at that point, she didn't really seem to mind.  
  
But now.  
  
"Father?"  
  
He looked to see his son looking at him. "What are you doing here?" He said. He didn't mean to sound so harsh but he really didn't want to see anyone, least of all his own children.  
  
"Just wanted to make sure that you are alive," he said with a small smile. Damn boy, had his mother's humor sometimes. Damn them! Why couldn't they look like him? Why did they have to resemble their mother? Suddenly he looked awkward.  
  
"What do you want?" he snapped at him.  
  
"Did you really think that Cyrus had the wishes inside him still?" his voice was stern and a touch angry. Yes. He knew that this was coming. Everyone would be coming to him for an explanation for what he did.  
  
The problem was, that he had no good explanation at all. It was pure selfishness for what he had done. A selfishness that he thought he was no longer capable of.  
  
"I know you miss mom, dad, we all do, but."  
  
"Do not talk to me about that," he said simply and glared at his son.  
  
"You are not going to brush me off!" Trunks said as sharply. "We all miss mom! Damn it, Father!" Trunks clenched and unclenched his fists. "Couldn't you just cry like a normal person?" his voice was thick and his eyes were full of sorrow.  
  
Normal.  
  
He was never normal. His children were not normal. No one was normal in his family. something that Soyna so wanted for her children. When he pushed to train the children, she refused.eventually she gave in, but she always said, that they did not deserve the same fate as she endured.  
  
He knew that she was worried about Cyrus more than her other children. Her other children were not so intertwined with the dragon.something that she tried hard to avoid telling him, so that he could live a 'normal' life.  
  
Something he ruined.  
  
He wished that she had just killed him and got it over with.  
  
............  
  
She still looked like she was in pain. He could see it on her face as she allowed her children to swarm on the bed around her, everyone, but Benot, who just stood back with a smile on his face.  
  
"Can you come home now," Flare pouted. "It's boring without you."  
  
"Soon," she said. It wouldn't be tonight, as much as she protested and wanted to, but Raymond snarled -almost literally-at her that she was going to do as he said. She thankfully listened.  
  
She caressed Cyrus cheek and got that angry look, but Cyrus quickly diffused it with talk about how cool all the other kids thought the scar was. "I'm cool mom!"  
  
"Correction. You have a cool scar," Flint said. "You're still a dweeb."  
  
Then she looked at Benot, "How did you get hurt?"  
  
Benot looked almost hurt. "I don't remember," he said in a low voice.  
  
She got that look again. That look that told him that she was not going to be forgiving Vegeta any time soon.  
  
He really hoped that she would come to terms with Vegeta soon. He can't have her angry with him all the time. Didn't the fight get it out of her system? He just smiled as the kids talked to her in a constant babble about all that she missed.  
  
.....  
  
"I don't know about this," Pan said.  
  
Trunks sighed. "I know. I know, but I will not have him alone in that house," he said and took off his jacket. "Dende only knows what he will do next."  
  
"That is what I am afraid of! Poor Crystal is going to have a nervous breakdown before she turns 10 if this keeps up. We can't have him here long, if this keeps up!" Pan said. She had not been worried about her shy little girl. She had thought that Crystal would surely outgrow it in no time at all. But she was nearly nine and still very shy. She was still terrified of Vegeta and Soyna and having Vegeta under this roof, was not a good thing for her.  
  
"Pan," Trunks said with a sigh, "He's my dad." He looked so sad.  
  
She went and hugged him. What else could she do? He was still grieving the loss of his mother and he was sure not ready to loose his father too.  
  
..............  
  
Vegeta gave in to his son. He didn't want to but what other choice did he really have? He no longer wished to enter the house that was THERE'S. He doubted that he could handle living with his daughter. she looked too much like her and it would be just too much of a painful reminder.  
  
He could hear Pan and Trunks resume talking.  
  
"Just until he comes to terms with mom being gone," Trunks said.  
  
"That could be awhile," Pan said. "At least Crystal has school."  
  
He heard his son sigh. "Well, at least Gem isn't afraid of anything," he said. Gem was the fearless one. She had no desire to train, but she somehow learned how to fly on her own. "Why couldn't we have a kid that was in between?"  
  
Pan laughed. "We could always try for another one."  
  
................  
  
"Is he here?"  
  
Goten looked shocked at his wife. "Who?"  
  
"HIM," she said and nearly snarled the word. Her hands clenched the blankets tightly.  
  
"I think Trunks took him home." He said.  
  
She looked out the window. "I don't want him to be anywhere near any of my children," she said and used that stern look on him. "You make sure of that! I don't want to see him ever again!"  
  
"But."  
  
"I will not tolerate him near me again!"  
  
He knew better than to argue with her right now. He thought that she would loosen up over time. He hoped so.  
  
.............  
  
A/N-can you feel the tension? What will happen next? Another fight? Will Benot ever get out of his daze? Will Cyrus come to terms with his own hidden history? Oh my? I did it again didn't I?  
  
Soyna 


	7. Told

-----Told  
  
  
  
Goku wanted to hold his little grandson, but he looked at them all with wide dark eyes with a look of pure confusion and anger.  
  
He had insisted to Goten that he be there when they tell him how he was the reincarnate of the dragon. He was beginning to think that was a bad idea.  
  
The poor kid.  
  
"That is why I was attacked?" He said between sobs. "Can I do that?"  
  
Soyna shook her head. "You lost that power," she said. "He wanted a normal life for himself and it would free us of the threats that."  
  
"Grandpapa attacked me because he thought he could really get Oma back!" The boy yelled. "If I had known about it, maybe I could learn the ability!" His whole little body was shaking. Cyrus was not taking the new well. "That is not freeing us from the threats."  
  
"Son, it doesn't work that way."  
  
"Where did all the energy go?" Cyrus said.  
  
"We don't know," Goku said. "We thought that the dragon."  
  
The boy's angry eyes now turned to him. "You were unstoppable in battle when you were fused with the dragon, right? Well, shouldn't I be at least stronger than a human? What the hell went wrong?"  
  
"Cyrus," Goten said.  
  
"Well!" He was not backing down. The boy was angry. A thing that he seldom saw in him. He was usually a very patient and calm kid, which would just wait for the right opportunity and then, he would get back. He never got angry. Of course, Shelong was. well, not exactly the most patient of creatures.  
  
Soyna was looking at her hands. "I do not know," she said. "It had never been done before."  
  
"So you tested it on me!"  
  
"I had no choice," Soyna said and it sounded as if she were fighting tears. "I had no choice at all. Benot had died in my arms."  
  
"So, you risked my life instead," he snapped. He was not a pretty looking kid when he was angry. He looked as if he could attack them at any minute and rip them apart if it wasn't for the fact that he had to take a puff off his inhaler. "Just because Goku was not smart enough to hold control of the dragon balls, doesn't mean, I should been suffering because of this."  
  
Goku lowered his head. Yeah, it was his fault. He had lost a lot of sleep over losing control like he did and blamed himself for a lot. Of course, he told no one that he felt that way. He was Goku. He wasn't supposed to have any worries.  
  
"Cyrus," Soyna sighed. "I wanted nothing more than you to live a peaceful life."  
  
"Oh! Right! In this family! Peaceful! You have got to be kidding!" Cyrus said and gave then all a glare and then stormed out of the room.  
  
They stood in silence for a little while.  
  
"I'm sorry," Goku said. "If I only understood what the dragon wanted from me sooner, none of this would have happened." After all, it was his entire fault.  
  
"Don't blame yourself dad. You could not have known," Goten said.  
  
Soyna was silent.  
  
"I should have," Goku said. "I really should have." Of course, he wasn't about to say, that if he would have just kept traveling like he wanted too.. He didn't understand why he had came to this planet and it did take him awhile to remember whom he was and whom everyone else was.. If he only were still wandering. none of this would have happened. Of course, Soyna would still be dead and Goten would be heart broken. damn it. You couldn't win, no matter what you did!  
  
..............  
  
Trunks found that he couldn't even talk to his father. He was giving out the silent treatment again and he stood silently looking out the window, but not really looking at anything. He had never seen his dad act like this and he didn't know how to handle it at all.  
  
He tried to talk to him, but it was like talking to a wall.  
  
He gave up and went to work. He told his dad that there was plenty of food in the kitchen and that Pan would be home with the girls around 4.  
  
No response.  
  
He hoped his dad would snap out of it. Maybe if Soyna. but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He had brought up the topic with Goten and he looked totally aghast. "What do you mean? She got mad at me when I told her that he was still alive! She never wants to see him again and is determined to kill him, if she does see him! I don't want to see her turn into that beast again."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
Soyna and Bulma were the only ones that ever got through to him and both were not obtainable any longer.  
  
.....  
  
Cyrus never knew that he could be so angry. He also doubted that he could feel so bad afterward. But at the same time, he couldn't go back and apologize. They should have told him! He was part dragon! And not just any dragon, the eternal dragon that could grant wishes! He had heard stories about the dragon, had heard lots of stories but they were usually hushed when he entered the room. He now understood why!  
  
What if he had the power in his somewhere? I mean, it had to go somewhere! He just had no idea how he was going to tap it!  
  
He sighed as he stopped walking. He wasn't supposed to go far from the compound, but he already saw that he was nearly 10 blocks away from home.  
  
He was the only one with that restriction. He was the only one that couldn't defend himself. he sighed and kept on walking. He didn't want to go home yet.  
  
...............  
  
Vegeta wanted to leave but that meant that he had to go into the house that he once shared with. he didn't have the heart for that just yet. It was too painful here. Everything reminded him of the greatest loss in his life. He had to get away from it all. and just .. Go.  
  
He looked at the clock. It was nearly 3. Soon, the house would be filling with people, an occasion that he normally would be looking forward too, but not today. Pan would be home and look at him with her big dark eyes filled with pity. Gem would look at him and look as if she wanted to go and spar and Crystal would hide in her room.  
  
Just the greeting he was hoping to avoid and he would, if he could just get the energy to walk over to his room and lock the door securely behind him. He wouldn't sleep but at least he would not have to deal with people.  
  
He turned and was shocked to see Crystal standing and staring wide eyed at him.  
  
He was shocked to see her there and she chewed her lip and pushed back a wave of her purple hair out of her face. She resembled Trunk's so much and was starting to look like a woman. He didn't notice before. Of course, he wouldn't notice her. She was going to grow into a beautiful woman. Her eyes were the same blue but she was starting to get a figure. just like her grandmothers.damn it.. He didn't want to think of HER! He didn't want to think of HER!  
  
"Hi Grandpa," she said in a low voice, gentle and small. The hair that she pulled back fell back over her face. She was still so tiny. Was it his imagination that he saw images of the woman that she was going to be?  
  
He just stared at her and started to leave the room.  
  
"I miss Grandma too," she said in that gentle voice. He looked over to her. She kept chewing her lip.  
  
Was she trying to comfort him? He didn't want anyone's sympathy! Least of all from a child!  
  
She took a tentative step forward and pushed her hair back again. "I don't want you to leave."  
  
How did she know he was thinking that? He stared at her as she looked at the floor and chewed her lip. "Please grandpa. it would be so much better if you stayed. Soyna will get over it in time. Please. We need you here," she said and then looked right into his eyes. It took him off guard. He took a step back from her. His unassuming grandchild was hiding something and he was pretty sure he didn't want to know about it.  
  
"How did you know?" he said.  
  
She shrugged. "Just don't leave," she said. "I will be bad if you do."  
  
He shook his head. She was probably touching that stupid silver ball and that told her that he was going to leave.  
  
He turned on his heel and went into his room.  
  
.....................  
  
He stood in front of the silver ball and stared at his warped image of himself in it. He had not touched it in a long time and didn't like touching it. It usually gave him a headache and he was often scared, that he would see something again. It hadn't made any beeping noises to warn them of anything like it did the last time.  
  
Benot reached out with his good hand and touched the shiny surface of the annoying warning device.  
  
His eyes grew wide as he did see something! It showed an image of Vegeta and his mother fighting.. He pulled away with disgust. they had already fought. Stupid ball must be broken! It was showing him the past!  
  
He really had wasted that wish on that stupid so-called warning device.  
  
........................  
  
"But sis!" Junior said and had a door slammed in his face. He sighed heavily. He was getting used to the softer side of his sister that had emerged in the last five years and he didn't know how to handle the anger prone woman that she once was. And he could see by the look on Goten's face, that he was lost as well.  
  
"She doesn't want anyone near her right now," Goten said with a wry smile. "She is still mad at me over cutting off her tail."  
  
Junior blinked. Oh. That was right. He had forgotten about that.  
  
"Well, she is actually mad at me, because I laughed at her when she stumbled over her own two feet," he said. "I couldn't help it. She was walking like a year old who still didn't have their balance! I thought it was cute. She doesn't."  
  
Junior just shook his head. "I really hope she gets out of this dark mood!"  
  
"So do I," Goten said and stuffed his hands deep into his jean and sighed heavily. "Want to come look for Cyrus with me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, we told Cyrus about the dragon and all and he stormed out. he hasn't come back yet," Goten said. "He got really mad at us."  
  
Junior patted his friend's shoulder.  
  
.......  
  
He was officially lost now. He chewed his lip and played with his inhaler as he looked around. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he forgot to pay attention to where he was going.  
  
He recognized nothing! He was near some shopping center that he didn't recognize. it wasn't one of the areas mom ever took in to shop at. And worst of all, he couldn't see any policemen or people in uniform either.  
  
He started to walk again. He had to find someone who could tell him how to get home. He could go into one of the stores and the clerks would be happy to tell him where he was. But he was nervous about it. he didn't want total strangers thinking he was a weakling like most of his family did.  
  
His parents wouldn't say it outright, but they knew that there was something wrong with him. He should be strong. He knew it. Something went wrong. He should not be so weak. He was not stupid. he was smarter.he felt his eyes starting to water again. He didn't want to cry! Babies cried! He wasn't a baby! Weakling cried! He wasn't a weakling! He didn't want to be the oddball. He rubbed his eyes and tried to chew on his lip harder to stop the threat of the tears that were surly going to flood forth if he didn't get himself under control. He just wanted to be an ordinary boy! Well, not an ordinary boy. He wanted to be able to keep up to his brothers and sister without having to carry the stupid inhaler.  
  
He grabbed it and looked at it as if it were an evil thing! It was evil! He tore it off his neck and threw it aside and it limply fell to the sidewalk. He used all his force in that throw and there was nothing. not even a shattering of the plastic case.  
  
The tears started to flow down his cheeks.  
  
It wasn't fair!  
  
Why did they do that! Why did mom do that! Why!  
  
"Hey there little guy." He looked up to see a blond hair man smiling down at him and holding his inhaler. "You dropped this."  
  
"I AM NOT LITTLE!" He yelled. He couldn't help it. He didn't like being called a little. The tears kept coming.  
  
The guy gave a shocked look for a second but recovered. "Sorry." He said quickly. "I thought you could use a little help. Are you lost?"  
  
He wiped his cheeks furiously. "NO! I can find my way home. I'm not an idiot. I am not as helpless as they think I am!"  
  
"I'm sure your not, but it is okay to ask for help," The guy said. "I ask for help all the time."  
  
He shook his head. "I am not a weakling!" his voice was a little calmer. The guy was trying to be nice to him. Wait a minute; was he one of those freaks that liked little boys? He took a step back from the man and looked at him again. He read about those things in the paper.  
  
"Now, where do you live and I will point you in the right direction. I won't help, unless you like wandering the streets after dark and I don't recommend that. The freaks come out at night, you know."  
  
Well, it couldn't hurt to tell him. maybe he could get home. He wiped his cheeks again. The angry tears had left him again. He told him.  
  
The guy blanched.  
  
What was his problem?  
  
"Great," he said to himself. "Just great." The man sighed. "Your mom, she isn't. her name isn't Soyna, is it?"  
  
He looked at the guy, shocked. How did he know that?  
  
............  
  
Trunk's was happy to see his daughter sitting at the table working on her homework already. She was such an independent girl and Pan had called her worriedly when she didn't wait at the usual spot to be picked up from school. She had told Gem that she wanted to go home and just walked home.  
  
"How was today?" he asked her. She looked up and smiled. She certainly was going to be a heartbreaker when she grew up.  
  
"Okay," she said. "You should go talk to grandpa." He blinked at her. She never talked about Vegeta. She was scared of him. "He is thinking of leaving. You have to stop him."  
  
"And why is that?" he said.  
  
She shrugged. "I will be bad if he does," she said and then went back to her books. Giving no more explanation. When he asked her why it would be bad, she pushed her long purple hair away from her face and said that it just was. "I have lots of homework dad."  
  
He stood there for a bit. Talk to his father? He couldn't even a grunt out of him, how was he supposed to talk to his father.  
  
.............  
  
A/N  
  
What does Crystal know? Can you guess who the guy is that is helping Cyrus? Did Benot misinterpret the silver ball? Will Trunks be able to talk to his father? Will Vegeta leave? Sigh. Did I leave out a question?  
  
Review. next chapter. 


	8. Family

Family  
  
  
  
8  
  
Goku chewed his lip and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't help but think of what Cyrus looked and the anger that he showed. For a boy that was usually calm even when he was mad at his brothers, he never really lost his temper. But the boy did at it was at him. Well, it was at everyone, but mostly him.  
  
He couldn't hang on to the dragon.  
  
It was his fault.  
  
He was just happy to remember his family and was enjoying his children and their children. it was like a big game, a second chance at being a good husband and father and not a fighter. To be there for a change for something other than defeating a threat.  
  
And look at what happened.  
  
He did not recognize the needs of the dragon. He wanted to take care of his own. His family. His wife. His children. His grandchildren. He wanted that. He didn't think it was too much to ask for. Of course, Shelong thought otherwise.  
  
He gave up looking and the ceiling he was anxious. He wanted to spar. All the grandkids had to do their homework after school. He was pretty sure that all the kids were most likely making them do it. Vegeta. well, he was still out of it.  
  
Goku understand how he felt. He didn't know what he would do if he lost ChiChi. he may have left her but she was stronger in that way. She was strong enough to handle him leaving. He knew that he hurt her, but he knew that she could endure.  
  
Could he handle being without her here?  
  
Would he end up like Vegeta?  
  
He would see her when it was his turn to pass on. They would be reunited.when the time comes. He knew that. They all did! But Vegeta still mourned the loss of his wife as if he would never see her again.  
  
Maybe Vegeta would want to spar?  
  
Take some of the stress out of his system.  
  
He wondered if he was well enough yet?  
  
He found himself walking towards Trunk's house. He knew he was staying there. He saw Trunks bring him home the other day. He doubted that he had left the house.  
  
"Vegeta," he said and knocked on the door. He saw Trunks was already there with Crystal. Was it that late already? How long had he stared at that ceiling?  
  
"Hi Goku," Trunks said. "Dad is still kind of out of it."  
  
Crystal, his granddaughter, a thing that he still had a hard time believing at times, looked up and smiled at him. She always had a smile for him. She looked like she was working hard on her homework as he came in. "Grandpa," she said and got up and gave him a hug. "Are you going to go talk to Grandpa Vegeta?" she said and looked up at him.  
  
"I was hoping he would want to stretch his muscles a bit," he said.  
  
Trunks was about to speak but Crystal quickly broke in, "Oh no. He is still not ready for that," she said. "But you can talk to him. He needs to stay."  
  
"He leaving?" he asked.  
  
"He will, but you have to go talk him out of it." She said breaking out of the hug. "It will be really bad if he does."  
  
"What?" he said as she took her chair back.  
  
"Trust me Grandpa, go talk to him. Dad won't," she said and looked at her stunned father. She then went back to burying her face in her book so that her hair fell over her face.  
  
He blinked at Trunks.  
  
"Could you?" Trunks said. "I don't know what she is talking about, but if you could.He won't even acknowledge me." Trunks looked defeated.  
  
Goku nodded. "I can give it a try."  
  
............  
  
Cyrus savored the cup of hot white chocolate. It was the best he had ever had. "Thank you, sir," he said and looked up at the nervous blond man. He had his own cup of the same thing.  
  
"I always get myself a cup when I am upset," he said, "It seems to calm my nerves, even though it has enough sugar and caffeine in it to kill a horse." Cyrus laughed lightly. The poor guy had been shaking when he bought the drinks. It looked like he actually wanted to order something else.  
  
"I won't tell mom that I ran into you. She is upset enough right now as it is," he said.  
  
He groaned. "Upset? Did I do something?"  
  
"No, no, you see," he pointed the scar on his cheek, "Grandpapa attacked me because he thought he could get the dragon out of me."  
  
He rubbed his forehead in a gesture that was so very much like Legen. "Man. Your family is weird." He knew too. He could tell by the look on his face. Did everyone know but him! "That dragon. It went into you? I didn't understand what was happening then very well, I am still not sure what happened."  
  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he said. "What did I say wrong?"  
  
"Everyone else knew! Everyone and they all kept it from me! Don't you think that piece of information is important!" Cyrus said. "I had the right to know, don't you think?"  
  
Brennen blinked. "I guess," he said slowly. "I don't know what good it would have done you though."  
  
It was his turn to blink.  
  
What good could he have done if he had known? He stopped walking. Would anything be different if he had have known? Well, he would have understood what Vegeta was talking about. He probably still would have done what he had done. He sighed heavily. It doesn't really mean anything.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" Brennen looked at him with genuine concern.  
  
"I guess so. I guess I shouldn't be so mad at mom and dad after all," he said and started to walk again. "It just not fair."  
  
Brennen grunted in agreement. "No kidding." Cyrus knew that he was referring to the fact that he couldn't be with his mother. He somehow knew that he still longed for her. He felt sorry for him. It wasn't his fault. "You get on the track and then BAM," he yelled, "It throws you off those smooth rails right onto the gravel road."  
  
"Or a river," Cyrus said.  
  
"Yeah," Brennen said and stopped walking and looked down at him. "Can you make it home on your own from here? I really don't want to bump into any of your family. If they are tense, I am sure that I will be a glad scapegoat."  
  
"Why are you scared of them?" Brennen said. "They won't hurt you."  
  
"Oh yeah! Right! Your dad. well, lets just say that if looks could kill, I would be so dead and that other short guy with the tall hair was not exactly looking at me pleasantly. The only one that only remotely talked to me was Junior and your mom. Even though I don't think your mom really wants me interrupting her life again." He said.  
  
"Mom won't let them hurt you," he said. "She sort of cares for you. You -well- your counterpart is the father of two of her children. it does stick a bit you know."  
  
"Well, that is how Junior explained it as well. But, also, what she doesn't know, won't hurt her and will hurt me," he said with a nervous smile.  
  
"Okay then," Cyrus said. "I can make it home from here," he said and thanked him again for the drink.  
  
"Um...Before you go. Could you tell me." He said and looked at his feet. "How are Benot and Legen doing?"  
  
"Legen is a jerk! He is always picking on me!" He said quickly without thinking. He sort of blamed him for the whole attack. He would not have been out catching frogs if he had not pissed him off. "But Benot is good. He is always there for me." Yeah, always there, Vegeta could have easily killed him when he was trying to save him. That was a scary thought.  
  
"There doing good in school? Are they making good grades?" he said.  
  
He nodded.  
  
He was concerned with them, even though they were not really his children. Just like Trunks would sometimes act fatherly to Soyna. Not as much as of late, but he still would lapse.  
  
"I'm the only odd ball in the family," he said.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself kid. You have to play the hand fate deals you. It may not be the one you want, but I am sure you could get some better cards if you work at it," Brennen said.  
  
He liked that clique. That was a good one! He just had to work at it and he could maybe figure out where all the strength went that Shelong had. He just had to work at it. Turn over some new cards!  
  
"Thanks Brennen," he said again and started to walk home. He felt better now. A lot better. He figured that he could talk to his mom now without blowing his top. He didn't know why the talk with Brennen made him feel better. He couldn't explain the calmness that came over him. Maybe because he did offer excuses and didn't try to explain things away. He just said it as he saw it and was confused over it.  
  
The sun was almost setting. It was time to go home. Plus, the drink had awakened the hunger and he was starving now.  
  
............  
  
Vegeta was glad to be finally rid of the pest, Goku. He wanted to be alone and made that clear to him, but it took an hour for him to figure out that simple request! A simple request, put simply!  
  
The idiot rambled on about how they had talked to Cyrus. he didn't want to hear any of it! He didn't care! He didn't want to know.  
  
He also talked about how he should not think of leaving until he got over the death of Bulma.. He had to say her name. He never wanted to hear her name again and he started to talk about HER! On and on he droned about the stuff they did together when they were young.  
  
He was relieved that he was alone again.  
  
He could hear his son's family in the next room, talking and laughing. Being a family that he felt that he could no longer belong to. SHE was the only thing that really kept him here. Everyone else had families of their own now. He wasn't needed anymore.  
  
So, why wasn't he already gone?  
  
...............  
  
Benot rubbed his now cast fee arm. Raymond had just removed the cast and it felt funny. "Don't start training any time soon now. I don't want to recast it."  
  
He nodded.  
  
He had no desire to train anymore.  
  
At all.  
  
..............  
  
"Hey?"  
  
Cyrus walked into the compound that was his home. He could see his favorite brother walking towards him without a cast on his arm. He finally got it removed.  
  
"Benot!" he said happily. "How does your arm feel?"  
  
He bent the arm. "Okay. A little funny actually. I was getting used to the cast."  
  
He did look better. His eyes didn't seem so distant. Maybe he would start remembering what happened that day. Even though, that was such a bad day.  
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Benot said. "Is there something on my face?" he wiped his cheeks with his hands.  
  
"No. Sorry," he said. "I just was.Benot?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you think mom will ever forgive Grandpapa?" he said.  
  
Benot sighed. "I hope so. I never want to see that happen again. I don't think I could take it." That distant look came over his eyes again. Cyrus blinked at his brother. He remembered what happened all right, he just was not going to admit it.  
  
"I hope so too."  
  
......  
  
Junior took solace in hearing the heartbeat of Marron. She was sleeping now, but sleep would not come to him. He kept his head pressed against her chest and listened to her heart and listened to her breath.  
  
He spent most of the afternoon looking for Cyrus with Goten, who became frantic as the day went on. Of course, they found him with his big brother Benot making a snack in the kitchen.  
  
Goten tried hard not to be as overprotective as Soyna, but today he lost out. He ran over to him and hugged him fiercely and was just about in tears as he apologized again and again.  
  
Benot set him in his place by calling him a wimp. He meant it kind heartedly, and thankfully Goten took it that way. It seemed to bring him back to his normal self as they insulted each other over the food.  
  
But he was worried about his sister.  
  
He stayed for dinner, well, actually cooked it, and was surprised at how little she was eating or interacting with her own family. She may not have been the most open woman in the world but she always was interested in what her family was doing. She sat silently and picked at her food.  
  
The last time she acted like that was.  
  
He jerked away from Marron, causing her to wake.  
  
"What is it?" she said and looked around with wide eyes. Ready to move if she had to. "Is it another nightmare?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
She just gave him that look. Your lying, her eyes said and she snuggled up to his chest. He put his arms around her.  
  
She once told him that she was glad that they came to this time, for no other reason that she was happy to get to know her grandfather. "It is nice to know that there is someone else in my family like me."  
  
Of course, now, she wanted to kill him.  
  
And she was acting as if he were already dead.  
  
  
  
  
  
......  
  
A few thoughts on family. to set the emotions rolling at even higher levels. 


	9. Never doubt the Silver Ball

Never Doubt the Silver Ball  
  
  
  
It was the most horrid dream that he had ever had. He didn't even remember nodding off. The sun was still out.  
  
He had never been so scared by a dream before. He looked around the empty room and was glad that it was empty. He was still shaking. He tried to control it but the images of the dreams still twirled in his head and made the shaking increase.  
  
"I'm not like that anymore," he whispered.  
  
He had dreamt of the times when he had thought it was best to be alone. Dreamt of the times when he destroyed friends and foes alike and thought that his life was complete.  
  
"I am not like that anymore," he said louder as if he was trying to convince himself.  
  
Soyna had appeared in the dream and he banished her, or at least tried too. She didn't say anything to him. She just transformed into a full ape, not the half ape that she transformed into their last fight, with red fur and she tried to crush him.  
  
She was determined to kill him and was doing a pretty good job in the dream.  
  
The ape roared at him, "You will not destroy my family!"  
  
"They are my family too!" He yelled back.  
  
The ape laughed. "You don't deserve it!" She laughed as she attacked him.  
  
He fought her and he soon was on the verge of loosing. He was being crushed by her foot. "You are to selfish."  
  
"I am not like that anymore," he whispered again as he rubbed his chest.  
  
Soyna.  
  
The only one that he thought truly understood him. The only one that he thought he was akin too. The only one that truly acted like a Saiyian. He sighed deeply. He guessed that was the problem after all.  
  
She was too much like a Saiyian to ever forgive him. He could not forgive himself, how could he expect her to accept him once again.  
  
.......  
  
Goten had been frantic, looking for Cyrus only to find him and Benot playing video games in his room. After yesterday, with being unable to find him for a couple of hours, he had gotten worried and he thought that he took off again. He was acting a little distant from them, but he didn't seem so angry anymore.  
  
He was just glad that he was okay and he didn't look so mad at him. Soyna was another handful to deal with. She disappeared into the training room and was training! Training! Her skin still ached when he touched her but she was training, if you could call her clumsy and slow movements training. She couldn't seem to control her movements and her slow stretches and jumps, seemed almost comical, but he had learned his lesson and refrained from laughing.  
  
He spent a good twenty minutes trying to convince her to stop her training and come back inside.  
  
"I am not ready to stop," she said simply and looked at him with her legs spread wide apart and her arms folded over her chest.  
  
"But Soyna," he said "I am sure Cyrus has some more questions."  
  
"You'll know where I will be then," she said and turned from him. A far from graceful turn, her feet ended up under her and she fell on her butt. She gave out a loud frustrated scream and slammed her fists into the floor, leaving nice dents. A glare was directed at him. "Why did you have to cut off my tail?"  
  
He was about to say that he didn't have a choice when he saw the glisten of tears in her eyes. She quickly looked away from him and clumsily stood up again and began her familiar warm up routine, even if it was not as polished as it was once.  
  
He moved in front of her and saw her stubbornly try to turn away from him. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him, despite her protests and angry yell. "Let me go."  
  
He shook his head. "Nope," he said. "We are going to go for a walk outside. No protesting, and we are going to get you to relax. Training, never truly relaxes you."  
  
"I won't go."  
  
"I will be there to catch you. Or did you forget that part?" he said in a stern tone. "Damn it. You don't have to do anything alone anymore. Don't you remember that? How long have I been there for you?"  
  
She was silent but no longer looked angry.  
  
"Ready to go?"  
  
She sighed and nodded.  
  
He smiled. Sometimes, it was the only way he could get her to listen to him.  
  
........  
  
Vegeta frowned heavily as Crystal grabbed his hand. She never came near him and suddenly she was attached to his side. She grinned at him as she pushed her hair out of her face. She really needed to get it cut. "Will you walk me to the library?"  
  
Why was she asking him? He had no idea where the library was and didn't really care to know either.  
  
"I have some stuff to do for school. Will you?" She said and looked at him as if he would actually do it.  
  
"Grandma usually did that stuff with me," she said with a touch of sadness in her voice. "Please."  
  
He frowned deeper.  
  
"Great!" she said as if he said yes. "Let me get my bag and we can go."  
  
She bounded off. Did he say yes? He looked around; no one else was around to take her to the library. Damn it. He was not a nursemaid.  
  
But he found himself walking beside his granddaughter to this library place. She hardly spoke to him, which as fine by him, it meant that he didn't need to talk as well. She just seemed content with him walking along side her and he felt a little bit of tension leave him as well.  
  
He felt a lot of tension leave him as he watched her pour over books and walk around the maze of books as if she knew where she was going.  
  
He seated himself away from her and some friends that joined her at a table. He didn't need to hear them talking, even though he did strain his ears to listen in. He didn't realize that two hours had passed and she came up to him, telling him that it was time to go.  
  
He just nodded and walked beside her on the way home. She wasn't like the other grandchildren. They all wanted to fly. They all wanted to be quick about it. She just was not like that. She was so different from everyone else.  
  
If she didn't look so much like Trunks, he would have thought that Pan had cheated on him. She sure didn't behave like one of the family.  
  
She waved him off and said that she was going over to see her aunty Bra and Cousin Violet. He found himself watching her as she went. Such a change. She used to be so scared of him that she would always hide behind the legs of -well- anyone just to avoid him.  
  
Now she was grabbing his hand and asking to go for walks. There was no more fear in her voice of in her actions. He wished he knew why this change occurred.  
  
He sighed as his eyes wandered over the compound and stopped on a frozen figure.  
  
Soyna.  
  
............  
  
He didn't want to think of her.  
  
Brennen sighed heavily as he found himself thinking of her again. He had worked really hard to get those thoughts of her out of his head and even had a really good girlfriend now and what was he doing? Pining over a girl that he never had or has a chance at.  
  
He thought of those two boys.  
  
He saw them from time to time at school sporting event now. His girlfriends little brother was in he same class and he was able to see how well they were doing that way. OF course, he had to stop himself from cheering for them as they put the ball in the hoop or the puck in the net.  
  
It was hard.  
  
He never knew if she went to those events because he purposely would only look at the playing field. He did not want to per chance run into her or the family. He did once but it was only Junior. He was kind enough to him.  
  
He remembered the scar across the boy's cheek. That was the boy that she was pregnant with when Benot lay dying in her arms.  
  
He still had nightmares about that horrible day.  
  
He still remembered her words and they haunted his dreams and his friends! So called friends! Well Mart was his friend but he did not like to talk with him all that much anymore. He still worked at CC. He had long quit that job a long time ago and even though he hated his current job, it was better than seeing people connected to her. Especially when he began to understand that his boss, Trunks, was her father.  
  
The scar.  
  
Did he say that his own grandfather did that to him?  
  
He spoke it like it was not a big deal at all.  
  
Something bad was happening again. He knew it. He hoped that he wasn't going to get sucked into it this time. He barely survived the last time.  
  
.....  
  
Oh. This was bad! Real bad!  
  
Goten thought that Vegeta wouldn't be out, but there he was, looking right at them. He finally got her to relax somewhat and here she was, all tensed up again and he could feel the energy already crackling on her skin.  
  
Her eyes almost glowed!  
  
Vegeta just stood there. Still. As if he were waiting her next move.  
  
She wasn't calm enough to see him yet. She still talked as if she were going to kill him the next time that she saw him. This was not good. She needed much more time to cool off. He had to separate them before they attacked each other again. Dende only knew what would happen next!  
  
..........  
  
Cyrus heard his brother's controller drop to the floor as he stood up abruptly. Benot almost ran to the window and of course he followed.  
  
He had never seen him like this before. He was shaking as he was looking out the window at a picture. Well, it wasn't a picture but everyone sure was still. Vegeta was standing as if he were waiting for Soyna to make her move. Goten was tensed and ready to hold back mom, and mom looked as if she were frozen in place.  
  
Then Benot whispered under his breath, more to himself that it was meant for him to hear. "I should never doubt the silver ball."  
  
They were going to fight!  
  
He ran away from his brother and out the door and stopped in the middle of them. It was the fastest that he had ever ran in his life, he was sure of it. His chest hurt and his whole body was shaking but he stood there and yelled at them. "Don't!"  
  
He could feel their eyes on him. They didn't move though. They just stood there!  
  
That was when Benot stumbled out of the door and ran beside him and grabbed his shoulder and started to drag him back.  
  
"Let me go! They can't fight! They shouldn't fight!" Cyrus yelled. He could see that Crystal was frozen in place, looking back at the two people that she was most afraid of.  
  
You could just feel the tension in the air.  
  
"Mom!" he called to his mom. Hoping that she would break the gaze but she seemed to get angrier as if she was concentrating really hard on how she was going to attack him. "Please, mom."  
  
The please seemed to soften her a bit. Her gaze flitted over to him for a second. It was more to check on him than to listen to him though.  
  
He was about to go into the 'he didn't mean it' speech when Benot let go of him and walked in between them.  
  
"I am tired of this!" Benot yelled at them. "We don't need to fight amongst ourselves!" Benot said and he sure looked angry. "Quit acting like children!"  
  
Vegeta and Soyna's eyes grew wide at him saying that. Goten just blinked and looked stunned. They were all looking at a very angry Benot who was not even realizing that he had powered up at all. His short hair spiked and glistened with energy, he looked as if he were almost ready to transform! Something that he strived so hard to get to, and Cyrus could see that he was on the edge. His anger was going to push him over!  
  
Crystal covered her mouth and looked on worriedly. He was just so stunned.  
  
"NO MORE!" Benot screamed at them. More energy burst from him in the form of light that swirled around him in his familiar bluish-gray aura with flecks of gold though. Oh, he was close. He wasn't even realizing what he was doing!  
  
The adults recovered from Benot's outburst. Soyna walked towards her son. Goten hesitantly followed behind her, as if he wanted her to stop.  
  
Benot watched his mother approach him. "Please mom. Not again. Not anymore. Please," his voice was full of sadness. "I don't want to worry anymore!" The gold fleck in his aura increased.  
  
"Then don't," she said and grabbed her son's shoulder. He smiled but then the aura abruptly vanished and he fell to his knees. He slumped to the ground with a soft moan at her feet. Her other hand was in a fist.  
  
She stepped over him and walked towards the still Vegeta.  
  
He ran to his brother to see if he was okay. He looked to his dad for help, but he was standing there stunned as she stopped right in front of Vegeta. 


	10. I don't want to be a Fighter

I don't want to be a Fighter.  
  
10  
  
  
  
Trunks sighed heavily as he looked at his father leave the room. They had fought again. Not a vicious of a fight as their last one. Neither had to be hospitalized, but still.he had never seen his father this way. He was almost moping. Crystal pulled on his hand and hugged close to him. She was still having crying burst from watching them fight each other.  
  
He rubbed her back and comforted her as best he could.  
  
"I didn't know," she gasped. "I wouldn't have asked." She hiccupped and buried her face into his. "Him to come with me!" She sobbed again. "It's my fault daddy. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault," he said. "None of it is your fault."  
  
"He is going to leave!" She said and the tears hit a new level. He hugged her. How could he make her feel better? She was shaking so bad.  
  
He looked down at her and shock took him. How could this be possible?  
  
......  
  
Junior was looking forward to a relaxing evening at home with his fiancé. He had a big romantic dinner in store for them and he had the whole night planned. Marron wasn't home yet but he was waiting. She would be home soon and she would be so surprised. She often accused him of being unromantic; well, this would prove her wrong!  
  
There was a knock at the door and he just thought it was the flowers that he ordered to adorn the table. He was getting worried about them and thought they wouldn't arrive in time.  
  
He almost ran to the door and was shocked to see his nephew looking at him with a bag over his shoulder.  
  
"Benot?"  
  
He looked up and it looked as if he had been fighting tears for a long while because they were starting to leak now and he was not having any luck holding back the tears now. "What happened?" he asked and then the tears came in full force now and he nearly collapsed in the entranceway.  
  
He quickly grabbed his nephew and helped him inside and asked him what happened again.  
  
"Mom," he gasped and rubbed his stomach, was all that he could get out of his mouth before he started to cry again. He felt that familiar panic rise in his stomach as he held his nephew as he let it all out.  
  
Finally Benot got a hold of himself and pulled himself together. He waited anxiously to hear what happened.  
  
"Mom can be such a bitch," Benot finally said.  
  
He just about fell over.  
  
......  
  
"Crystal!" He said and kneeled in front of her and stared at her in total awe. She was still crying but she was trying to stop the tears from coming from her now brilliant green eyes! He ran his hand over her now blond hair; it was so blond that it was almost white.  
  
She wasn't even powered up! At least he couldn't feel anything.  
  
She looked at him and sniffed. "What is it daddy?"  
  
"How did you transform?" he said as he amazed at his shy little girl who didn't train! How could she transform into this, when she didn't even know how to fly or show any interest in fighting! He could hardly breath.  
  
She blinked at him and looked at her hands, as if they would show her transformed state. She looked so much older. She looked almost like a woman. and for once, it wasn't his imagination!  
  
"Transform?" She said and reached to her hair. "Oh. This. I could do it a long time ago, but I don't look good with blond hair."  
  
He blinked at his daughter.  
  
"You.don't. look . good?"  
  
It turned back to purple and her eyes to blue. She still looked older than she should. "Nuh-uh. I look funny. I like my purple hair," she said as swept it away from her face with both hands.  
  
"How long?" he said nearly breathlessly.  
  
"I don't know," she said. "I guess a year or two."  
  
He just blinked at her. He didn't know what to make of it at all! She didn't train or even show an interest in training. How could she transform? He couldn't feel a change in her power level. That is what disturbed in the most. He couldn't feel her changing. He should feel that.  
  
"You will stop grandpa from leaving, right?" she said, looking like a little girl again.  
  
"Yes," he said. "I'll go talk to him. Now, Crystal, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
She looked at him as if he said something stupid. "I'm your daughter. Of course I can do this."  
  
He just stared at her. What was that supposed to mean? She must have seen the look on his face. "Soyna is as strong as anyone else! Why did you think that I would be weaker! I'm your daughter too."  
  
He just about choked on the comment. "Soyna is not my daughter," he said in a rush.  
  
"Well, she sort of is. So why did you think that I would be weaker when I have more strength than she does." Crystal said.  
  
"More. strength?" He stared at his daughter.  
  
"I don't want to be a fighter," she said with a whine. "I don't want to be as angry as she is." She was referring to Soyna. It was a lot to digest in such a sort period of time. He thought he had been good about keeping the fact that Soyna was his OTHER self's daughter away from his children. Obviously, she picked up on it.  
  
"When everyone fights, they get so angry at each other. even when they are training," she said with sad eyes. "I don't want to be like that."  
  
"Not all of us are angry," he said. "I'm not."  
  
"You are when you fight." She said in a certain tone. "You all are like that. You all get sad and mad and turn into mean fighters. Even grandpa Goku."  
  
She sniffed loudly and rubbed her eyes. He reached and comforted her. She accepted the hug. "We have to protect ourselves," Trunks said in a whisper.  
  
She sniffed again. "You didn't see the look on her face dad." She said and buried her face into his chest. "She was so sad and so angry at the same time. She was really scary and you didn't see Grandpa. Grandpa just stood there and blocked her blows. He hardly was even doing that."  
  
"I'll go talk to him. I promise." He said.  
  
.......  
  
"She punched me! She punched my right in the stomach!" Benot said angrily and was still fighting his tears. "She knocked me out! She knocked the wind right out of me. When I woke up, she was in an arm lock from Goku and Vegeta was on the ground with a bloody lip with Bra trying to help him." He rubbed his stomach again.  
  
"They dragged her inside." Benot continued. "Dad dragged me back inside. She hurt me so bad that I couldn't walk yet. Cyrus was crying and puffing on his inhaler. She was so wired and nervous. I have never seen her that way before. Dad and Cyrus were finally able to calm her down." Junior took a minute to realize that he had actually called Goten 'Dad'. That was certainly a first; it was to bad it was happening at such a bad time.  
  
Benot looked at his hands. "It was so horrible," he said.  
  
"Here you go," Marron said and handed Benot a cup of tea. Benot was shaking a bit. "This will make you feel better."  
  
Benot smiled and took the cup. Marron sat beside him and smoothed his hair a bit to comfort him.  
  
"What happened to next?" he asked.  
  
He took a sip of the tea and frowned heavily. He looked into the cup of tea, as if it was going to give him answers. "Well, she calmed down but she made it clear that she didn't want to see him again." His voice shook a bit but he took a sip again to hide it. "She apologized for hitting me, but I got mad at her."  
  
"Mad at her?"  
  
"I told her that she should just quit being so angry," he said, "but not in a nice way. I yelled at her a bit and I was feeling a bit better. Then she said that she couldn't forgive Vegeta for attacking Cyrus. I reminded her that I got hurt too! All she did was smile and say that I can defend myself and told me that I almost became a supersaiyian out there."  
  
He took another sip of the tea. The shaking was increasing a bit. He was still angry. "I told mom, that I never want to become one."  
  
"Why? You have been trying so hard?" Marron said. "I thought it would be a good thing to become a supersaiyian."  
  
"It's not!" He said and splashed some of the cup on his hands. He didn't notice. "I don't want to be a fighter! I would rather become a whale than become a monster. I am never going to train again!" The tears again.  
  
"Did you tell you mom that?" Marron said, smoothing his hair again.  
  
"Yeah, but not as nicely," he said. "I think I called mom a monster."  
  
He drew in a sharp intact of breath. "How did she react?"  
  
He shrugged. "I kind of ran away after that. I don't know what happened after that." He noisily sipped the tea. "It is okay if I stay here. I really don't want to go home." He looked up with wide eyes. "Please."  
  
Marron looked at him with wide concerned eyes and without him even answering. "Of course, you can stay the night. Why don't you go wash up and we will go out for supper and try to forget what happened today for a little while." She said and stood. Benot followed her.  
  
He went to answer the ringing phone.  
  
..............  
  
She hadn't moved from that spot since Benot left. She just walked into the training room and sat down. Cyrus went and sat with her a bit but he left after awhile, but he still watched from time to time.  
  
Goku felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest as he looked at her. It was pure guilt. It was his entire fault all this was happening and he didn't know how to fix it! She was just sitting there, almost as if she was in meditation, but she wasn't meditating. If only she was so mad at Vegeta. He could always get her to come out of her shell. Goten wasn't having any luck. He was hoping that Junior could help her.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
He looked over at his son. He looked so worried. He wished he could do something.  
  
"I'm going over to Junior's. Benot is there right now," he said and looked at his wife and sighed deeply. "If you can stay and watch the kids and her for awhile. I don't even know where Flint and Flare are."  
  
He knew that. "They are playing with Gem out in the woods. I was supposed to go bring them in for supper." He shook his head. He had forgotten that Pan had asked him to do that. That was why he left the house and witness the latest attack.  
  
Goten just nodded and rubbed his head. He called out to Soyna. "I'll be back soon."  
  
Nothing. She just sat there.  
  
He wished he knew what he was thinking.  
  
...........  
  
Cyrus chewed his lip and played with his inhaler. He couldn't sit by her anymore. She was just to still for this liking and it was kind of scary to see her like that. Plus, grandpa Goku hadn't moved from the training room door since she walked in there like a zombie.  
  
He never knew his brother could swear so proficiently! He didn't know half the words that he was saying but he knew from the anger and shock on his parent's faces that it was not a good thing. Of course, when he called mom a monster and he was never going to be like her, he had never seen his mother look so pale!  
  
Goten went after him a little bit, but the look of pure horror that crept across her face kept him back. That look slowly left her and an unreadable look came over her face and she went into the training room. She tried to tell her that Benot didn't mean the things that he said, but the problem was, that he did. He meant every word's that he spoke.  
  
He peered in the window to see her silent and still.  
  
"She shouldn't put so much pressure on herself," Grandpa Goku said in a whisper.  
  
He looked up at the sad face of grandpa. Why was he so sad? He sighed at looked back at his mother. Everyone was so sad right now: all leading back to Oma's death. He wished he could tap into the powers of the dragon. He wished he could, but he had no idea how he could even get enough strength to do that. He gave a sad sigh and he felt grandpa Goku put his hand on his head.  
  
"Are you okay?" he said. "You kind of got looked over."  
  
He looked up at his grandpa. "I don't mind. I have been the center of attention for so long, being overlooked is a blessing." Grandpa smiled sadly and looked back into the training room.  
  
He really hoped his family would recover from this.  
  
........  
  
"Dad?"  
  
He turned to see his son looking at him. He had showered and examined the damage that she had done to him. It was just bruises and scratches. She had not been as graceful as she had been in the past fights. He was pretty sure that if she had her tail, he would not be looking at himself in the mirror or seeing the worried look on his son's face, or seeing his granddaughter peering around him. He was not trying very hard to block her attack.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"That's a stupid question," he snorted and turned. Crystal looked at him with a moment of fear. Just like her old self, hiding behind her fathers legs. Not tugging on his hand. Not asking him to go for a walk.  
  
"Soyna will forgive you, in time. It will just take her a little while to get over it." Crystal said and then ducked behind her dad's legs again.  
  
Trunks sighed heavily and looked at his daughter briefly and then back at him. "I just want to know if you are going to be okay and if you need anything."  
  
"I don't need anything," he said and a voice in the back of his head echoed 'except her.' He didn't know if the voice was referring to Soyna or to his lost wife. Didn't matter. They had been the two most important people in the world to him and they were both out of his reach.  
  
"Are you sure dad? I could get."  
  
"Leave me alone," he said harshly. Even looking at his son reminded him of Her. He took after her more than him anyway and he could not go to Bra's. He couldn't handle seeing her.  
  
Trunks eyes grew wide for a moment. "All right dad. I will be here, if you need anything."  
  
He watched his son close the door and felt an old anger rise again. He was the center of pity again. He did not like being the center of pity. He did not want that. He never wanted that! He turned back to the mirror and frowned.  
  
He did not deserve the family he had. What was he thinking when he attacked Cyrus? He could not remember his train of thought. How could he have thought that he could get the dragon out of the boy? The boy just now knew that he was merged with Shelong. He just now knew. And what good would it do for him to have her back for just one more day.  
  
What good would that do?  
  
He needed her back for longer than that. He needed her. As much as he hated to think like that, he did need her. She was his anchor for so long. It was thoughts of her that always made him come back.  
  
He needed her back for longer than a day.  
  
He knew of only one way to have that.  
  
............. 


	11. Changes

Changes  
  
  
  
  
  
Pan looked on her sleeping daughter. Could it be true what she told him? He never imagined her as a supersaiyian. She wondered what she looked like? She could see Gem becoming one and rather quickly along with their cousins Flint and Flare. The way that went at it, it was rather surprising that they haven't gone gold yet.  
  
"Are you sure?" she said. "I just can't see it."  
  
"Believe me," Trunks said. "She said she could do it for awhile. It scared the hell of me," Trunks leaned against the wall. "I did not think that she could ever do that. She said that she was stronger than Soyna."  
  
"Stronger?" Pan looked at her sleeping figure again. "Stronger? How? I can't feel any change in her."  
  
"I know, but I don't doubt her," Trunks said. "You did not see with that yellow hair and green eyes and I didn't feel anything. She was crying and she just flipped back to normal. I asked her if she wanted to train. She just shook her head and said that she doesn't want to be angry." He rubbed his forehead. He was dealing with so much. He still really did not get to mourn the loss of his mother and dealing with his father, who seemed to be distancing himself away from everyone. Dealing with the plummeting stocks with the company and struggling to get it back to normal after Bulma's death. She forced him to stay home last weekend and all he did was worry about the papers he left on his desk at work. And of course he worried about the change in his normally shy daughter. He leaned against the wall and let out a big sigh. He looked so tired.  
  
"I will talk to her tomorrow," Pan said. "You should go to bed. You look tired."  
  
He sighed heavily and looked at the room where his father was occupying.  
  
"Deal with him in the morning." Pan said and took her husbands hands. "Please. Get some rest before you have a nervous breakdown."  
  
He smiled, but it was not a happy smile. "I really should talk to dad." He said. "He is such a mess."  
  
She sighed. He was right. But what could he say to him? She leaned into him and lifted herself up for a kiss. She was grateful that he enveloped her in his arms. He was just so tired.  
  
"Eew! Geez. You do have a room you know."  
  
She felt herself being lowered as she turned and looked at Gem who was rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Gem, you're supposed to be sleeping," Trunks said with a smile. "What are you doing up?"  
  
"I was thirsty," She said and walked past them. "I didn't expect to see you two in the hallway." Then she disappeared into the bathroom. They heard the taps running.  
  
She smiled. Gem was already so independent. It was amazing at the difference in the children. She felt Trunks snake his arms around her shoulders and his mouth pressed to her ear and in a whisper said. "We do have a bedroom."  
  
She just smiled and took him up on the invitation.  
  
.............  
  
"Sis?" Soyna looked up at him with such a sad look on her face. He did not remember seeing her so distraught before. Not even when dad died, she was not this far gone. He knelt in front of her and looked right at her. Her eyes were watery. "Are you okay?"  
  
Her mouth twitched slightly and a small voice came out of her mouth, "I hit Benot."  
  
"He told me." He said.  
  
A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"He called me a monster," she whispered and looked at her lap as if she was ashamed to be crying.  
  
"He told me that too."  
  
She was silent for a bit. He wished she would look up so he could see her face. This was so different from what he expected from his sister. "I am a monster."  
  
"No your not," he said.  
  
She looked sharply up at him. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course, I am a monster! I punched my own son! I am no different than Vegeta! I attacked my own family. My own son! What does that make me! All I could think of what how Vegeta hurt Cyrus. That was all I could think of. It was horrible when I realized what I had done. I wasn't even thinking about how Vegeta hurt him! What does that make me?" She let out a deep sigh. "I don't deserve to be a mother," she said in a sad voice, her shoulders slumping and her voice getting low and sad. "I don't deserve to have any of this."  
  
She looked so sad.  
  
"You are just under a lot of stress," he said. "You do not handle stress well. You just need to calm down a bit."  
  
"I hit my OWN SON!" She growled at him. "He CALLED ME a MONSTER!" Her voice was ragged and her eyes flashed with anger. Anger that she directed at herself.  
  
He looked at her as she slowly stood and shakily walked out of the room. Goku and Goten greeted her at the door. Goku just looked on worriedly and she hesitantly went into her husband's arms.  
  
At least she wasn't pushing him away. He didn't want to see her doing that again. That nearly destroyed Goten last time, but at least this time Brennen wasn't part of the picture.  
  
............  
  
Did he just hear that right?  
  
Vegeta heard his son talking to Pan. Crystal turned into a supersaiyian? How? He shook his head. She showed no signs of strength that the others did but she made it to supersaiyian without a strong burst of energy. She didn't give off a shred of energy that gave a hint at such strength.  
  
His son sounded so sad.  
  
He was destroying them.  
  
He looked back out the window and examined the stars. They did not look the same as he remembered them. Of course, he never really contemplated the earthstars. He still remembered what they looked like from his home planet and he tried to see the similar patterns in the stars that he saw here, but could not find them.  
  
How did he get so far from home?  
  
How did he get so far from where he thought he was going to be?  
  
The stars were not holding the answers for him. His eyes went to the house that he stayed in with HER. He had not set foot in it since her death and he didn't think he could go in there just yet. There would be pictures, and there would be her favorite chair, and there would be her smell.he couldn't face that just yet.  
  
But then, he was having such a hard time facing his family as well.  
  
He sighed heavily and retreated to his bed, knowing that he would have a nightmare filled sleep once again, but it was better than facing the day that was filled with true nightmares.  
  
.............  
  
It was his girlfriend's idea to go out for dinner. He couldn't tell her why he was so upset. Brennen couldn't tell her that he ran into the son of the woman of his dreams and he couldn't stop thinking of his kids, even though they weren't his kids. He just wanted to stay home, curl up on the couch and fall asleep. It was just too much of a scary thought that he would run into one of them again.  
  
But she was persistent.  
  
Brennen gave in and was starting to relax a little bit as they sat at the Pizza Bistro and was enjoying the warm fall evening.  
  
He admired his girlfriend for putting up with his moods. Prior relationships ended because of his so-called mood swings. She did not press him to try to explain what bothered him. He asked her why she didn't ask him those questions. She just shrugged and said simply. "You'll tell me when your ready."  
  
He knew that he was going to have to tell her soon. He couldn't NOT tell her. She had the right to know about that time, even it if still haunted him. Especially if it still haunted him. It affected him immensely.  
  
The food tasted good and he even allowed himself a few beers, something that he normally did not indulge himself in. He was smiling at his girlfriend who did look remarkable to him. She had short brown hair that swept forward as if it were straining to touch her smooth skin on her face. She had a figure to die for. He still didn't know how he could get such a woman. She was caring and kind and put up with him, and the topper was those brilliant green eyes! He could just drown in those green eyes.. which are just like Soyna's.  
  
He stopped himself from frowning at that thought. She could not be his. She wouldn't even acknowledge him as part of her past. He had to concentrate on the woman in front of him. He had to figure out how to explain his past.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" She asked as she sipped her own beer. She was only half way done her first one. He knew that she didn't like beer so it was hard for her to drink it. He was on his fourth.  
  
"Of how beautiful you are," he said. He didn't want to tell her that she was comparing her to someone else. She did not deserve to get hurt.  
  
She blushed beautifully. "Fresh," she said and gave a little laugh. "Feeling better now that I dragged you out?"  
  
He nodded. He was started to feel better. "Yeah. I guess so," he said with a smile.  
  
She smiled brightly. "See. You should never doubt me."  
  
He smiled back; he doubted it was as bright as hers. She pointed to his empty glass and offered her half full glass of beer. He accepted it and smiled at her. "Mel, I am sorry for being moody," he said. "I had bumped into someone the other day." It was a good as time as any to tell her.  
  
"And that made you moody? Was it an old girlfriend?" She said with a slight chuckle.  
  
"No," he sighed as he stared at the amber liquid. "Not a girlfriend."  
  
She chuckled harder and a sly grin came across her face, "A boyfriend?"  
  
He shook his head again and not returning the humorous grin that she now had that was replaced by a serious look. "Who?"  
  
He swallowed hard and looked right at her. "It is hard to explain but I will try.," His eyes skipped over her to a boy of 12 holding a couple of pizza boxes, standing by the till, while a tall blond woman paid for the bill. A boy that looked a little upset.  
  
A boy that he knew only from afar.  
  
One of his sons.  
  
......  
  
Vegeta hardly slept at all. He just couldn't sleep. He was so tired, but he forced himself out of bed and went to face the family that was making all that noise in the kitchen.  
  
He dressed in clothes that he knew that Bulma had bought for him. Of course, she bought them for him. He never went shopping. He didn't even know how to handle earth money. He never had to. She did it all. She did everything and let him, well, play, as she put it.  
  
He opened the door to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen to hear them all go silent and look at him.  
  
Gem gave him a hopeful look. Crystal looked at him with her large blue eyes in a pleading way somehow. Pan looked at him as if he was made of glass and his son couldn't even raise his eyes to him.  
  
He sat down across from Crystal and couldn't help but examine her. He couldn't help but think of how strong she could be, if she could go GOLD without that great power output. She could probably match Soyna in no time and then he.  
  
He looked at the table, forcing his eyes away from her. He did not need a replacement for Soyna. He did not need to help create another one like her. She did not deserve the pain that would surely come from that. He was being selfish again. He didn't want to be like that anymore.  
  
"Feeling better today?" Pan said and looked at him with such pity that it made him sick.  
  
"Fine," he growled and then left. He couldn't sit there with all those eyes looking at him. He couldn't handle the scrutiny that they surely had him under. He could still feel the eyes follow him as he did something that he did not plan to do today.  
  
He returned to his own house.  
  
...........  
  
Goku slept uneasily.  
  
He remembered the old dreams that he had when the dragon was still a part of him. The dreams in which Soyna was split into two: The warrior Soyna and the mother Soyna. The warrior was so strong and overbearing but still wanted to comfort the mother side. Now, he saw that mother side coming forth and taking over the warrior side. She was trying to push it aside so that she would not hurt her children anymore. Well, sort of said it, but that was how he saw it. She was denying a huge part of herself!  
  
This was not good!  
  
And it was his entire fault too! He didn't know how to fix this. He really didn't know how to fix any of it. It had always been so easy in the past; all you had to do was use the dragon balls.  
  
The dragon balls did not exist anymore and there was no way to get the wishes.  
  
The power was lost to the soul of a little boy.  
  
A soul that was once like his: Innocent and pure.  
  
...........  
  
Cyrus had never been so worried about his mother. Well, actually he had never been worried about her. She was always the strong one. She was kind of scary right now.  
  
He could see the apprehensive look on Flint and Flare's face as they looked at her. Legen even looked at her oddly as well.  
  
He did not expect to see her like this. She was so upset yesterday. She moped around the house and she seemed so distant. Not like this.  
  
"Hurry up and eat kids." She said in a cheery voice that he was not familiar with. Did she ever sound cheery? She had on a smile was almost scary, and that apron? He didn't think that there was anything with lace in the house.  
  
Legen put his hand on her shoulder and asked her if she was okay. He looked at with a heavy frown of worry. He sure looked like Brennen and he could see that he was going to be as tall as him as well. She was taller than she was at 12.  
  
"Fine dear," she said in that voice that was not his mothers. It was much too high. "Why don't you go wake up Goten? He has to take you all to school."  
  
"I'll go," Flint said and was gone in a flash. Flare was just staring at mom with wide dark eyes. She was as confused as everyone else at mom's new behavior.  
  
"Are you sure mom?" he said.  
  
"Of course, dear," she said. "Eat your lunch or else you won't learn well at school."  
  
Flare looked around her, "Where is Benot?"  
  
This new cheery façade cracked for a bit but she quickly recovered, "He will be home tonight. He spent the night with your Uncle."  
  
Why was mom doing this? Why was she being someone that she was not?  
  
"He got to spend the night?" Flare frowned. "No fair! I never get to spend the night somewhere if there is school the next day!" She did not understand what was going on. She had missed the show that Mom and Vegeta had put on.  
  
"Benot is older," she said simply and that smile back at full force. He couldn't help but cringe. His mother did not smile like that. She looked scarier than she had ever seen her before. "Now your food is getting cold, so eat up." Normally Flare would have kept protesting but she was unnerved by her mother's new smile.  
  
Goten entered the room with Flint at his feet.  
  
He looked shocked even at mom's appearance. "Soyna?" He said and walked next to her. "Did you sleep last night?"  
  
"Of course," she said and smiled. "You better hurry up and eat. The kids have to get to school in an hour. You don't have much time."  
  
"I think you should go lie down," he said and touched her arm. She jerked it away and for a moment, looked like his normal mom. For a moment. She then smoothed out her hair and looked at him with a large scary smile. "Don't be silly," she said. "I am fine."  
  
Did mom just use the word silly? Mom didn't talk like that. She was sure acting weird.  
  
"Mom?" Cyrus said from his spot at the table.  
  
"Yes, dear," she said and turned that smile at him. He couldn't help but cringe. She didn't seem to notice. Did she use the word, dear? Mom never used that word. He was certain of that.  
  
"We can manage on our own. It's okay," he said. He could see how stunned his father looked. He looked so stunned and maybe it was best if he stayed home with her today.  
  
"Nonsense," she said. "Your father is going to take you all to school and that is all there is to it." She turned back to the kitchen and started to putter in there. She usually did that, but she didn't hum when she did it. She was humming.  
  
Flare looked up at Goten, "Dad, what happened to mom?"  
  
He rubbed the back of his head. "I'll get you to school and try to find out."  
  
............. 


	12. Father Son Talks

Father son talks  
  
.  
  
Benot was in a sort of a daze. He never really thought that his REAL father would want to talk to him. He saw him from time to time at the school with the woman that he was sitting with at the table. He never approached him. He felt kind of stupid about last time that he ran up to him. He did feel silly about what he did to him when he was younger. Running up to him and clutching onto his leg and calling him daddy. He still blushed about that and he grew mad and the thought that that Ligh fellow manipulated him and his family  
  
He had chewed his lip as he stood by the table and said hi to him. He never thought he would be in this situation. He was not supposed to be part of his life.  
  
"Benot?" Brennen had said in a low voice and looked at him worriedly. "How have you been?" He actually cared about what he had been doing. He didn't expect that.  
  
"Okay," he had lied. Marron put his hand on his shoulder and asked who he was. Did Marron ever see Brennen? He couldn't remember. She told her and she went a little pale at that.  
  
The brunette looked at him curiously and asked Brennen how he knew him and without a hesitation that made his heart swell, "He is my son."  
  
After getting over the drama of the woman fainting, Brennen stumbled over an explanation that he helped with and so did Marron a bit. The woman took a little bit to get over it and obviously did not believe the explanation. She started to get mad. He could see the pain that came over his face as she started to ask why she was never told before.  
  
Benot was the one that explained it in a startling way. "His doppelganger is my father, in a different place and time where my mother met him and had us. My father died saving us from evil and allowed her to live and come here. She was not supposed to meet him in this place, but she did, but it was to late. Mom already found another."  
  
Mom had accepted Goten, even though he fought that relationship in every possible way he had even begun to think of him as dad. Especially lately, since mom has lost her mind.  
  
"I didn't know how to tell you all this. It is still rather confusing for me," he said to her and grabbed her hands. "Don't hate me Melody. Please. I can't help but think of them as my son's even though I hardly know them and then after seeing her other one, Cyrus."  
  
"Is he your also?" She said quickly.  
  
"No. He is not, but oh man; I didn't even know what he looked like. I just saw a kid that looked upset and lost. It wasn't until he told me where he lived that I clued in." he said.  
  
"You saw Cyrus?" Benot said.  
  
"Yeah. I told him not tell you mom that I helped him. I didn't want her to flip out at me or something or worse, that big guy that she is with," Brennen said. "He isn't around here, is he?" He looked nervously over his shoulder as if Goten was going to just appear.  
  
"No," Benot said and looked at the two boxes of pizza that were on the table rapidly cooling. Junior had said that he had to go to visit the compound. He could guess why but he wasn't about to go back tonight. His stomach still ached from where she hit him. He didn't want to see Goten or his mom tonight and now that his real dad was talking to him.. "They have other problems tonight." He said in a low voice and he found Marron's comforting hand on his shoulder again.  
  
His girlfriend Melody eventually got over the shock even though she didn't believe the time travel thing, but it was pretty hard not to. Brennen in this time was only 26 now and it was pretty hard to have a nearly 13-year- old boy.  
  
He was glad to see Brennen. Brennen again asked him questions about how he was doing in school and how he was doing in sports. He gladly told him that he was doing well in everything but he wasn't going to do sports anymore.  
  
"Why now?" he asked.  
  
"I don't want to train anymore and all sports you have to practice at and I don't want to do that anymore," he said. "I just want to be a kid."  
  
"What kid doesn't play sports?" Brennen asked.  
  
"Huh?" he said.  
  
"I sucked at basketball, but I still played it. I knew that I wasn't going to go pro or anything like that, but I still played every weekend with my friends," he said. "Why would you want to stop? I have seen you at school on those teams last year. You were good."  
  
"I just don't want to fight anymore," he said. "I don't want to be a monster." His voice was low and he could feel the threatening tears coming again. He wanted to run into his arms and be held by him but he settled for leaning against Marron who smoothed his hair again.  
  
"What? A monster?" Brennen then remembered what happened last time they had encountered each other. "Oh. That stuff, when your hair turning color and stuff." Poor Melody looked so lost.  
  
"I don't want to do that. I stopped." Benot said.  
  
"But why?" he looked so shocked that he would want to stop. "You are all so strong and fast. Why wouldn't you want to be like that?"  
  
"You didn't see her," he said and gasped. He didn't even understand. Why did he have to ruin such a nice conversation? He was having a nice time talking to his dad about trivial things.  
  
Thankfully he didn't push the topic any further. He must have been afraid that it was too much information and he did not look like he wanted to get dragged down back into their family. Yeah. That was a good way of describing it. Being dragged down.  
  
It had been nice talking to dad and he even got his phone number from him and e-mail if he ever wanted to contact him. "I know that your mother and new father won't approve of it, but I really wouldn't mind hearing how things are going with you," he said as he wrote the stuff on the pizza box that were certainly cold by then.  
  
It was really nice knowing that he had some sane blood in his veins.  
  
He had slept well that night with the torn top of the pizza box stuffed in his bag as he curled up in the spare room of his uncle's house. He had heard some worried voices when Junior returned but did not head them.  
  
He did feel better this morning as he walked to school. He hoped that Legen brought his homework with him, but he was sure that he could talk his way around it if he had too. He wasn't about to go home this morning and he wasn't too sure that he wanted to go to his own house tonight.  
  
Junior told him that his mom had calmed down a lot and felt really bad about hitting him. He knew that Marron talked to him about meeting his father, but just gave him a look that was waiting for him to talk to him about it.  
  
But he wasn't about to talk about that with anyone.  
  
He still was in a state of shock about learning that Brennen thought about him.  
  
............  
  
Gohan had never seen his father look so sad. He didn't think it was possible. He had seen him flash with anger in battle but he did not see the sadness that was now present in him. Mom had come to him saying that he wasn't sleeping and not eating. She was not acting like he normally did.  
  
She asked him to talk to him.  
  
He didn't know what was bothering his father. He worried quite a bit about how everything seemed to be crumbling now that Bulma had passed away and Vegeta and Soyna were at odds.  
  
It wasn't his fault.  
  
But he acted as if it was.  
  
He was looking at the empty house that Bulma and Vegeta once lived in together.  
  
"Hi dad," he said and stood by his father. He never seemed to change. He always was the same. He was always constant. It was just the way things were supposed to be. Dad was supposed to be the anchor. He did look a bit older than he remembered him when he was younger. He didn't know how to describe it. It wasn't like he had gray hair or wrinkles. He just looked older and tired.  
  
Goku looked at him and tried to flash a smile at him, but it was pathetic and did not suit his father. "Don't you have to teach today?" he asked. "It has to be near noon."  
  
"Field trip," he said. "What are you doing out here?"  
  
"Vegeta went in there. He stormed out of Trunks house and went in there. I haven't seen any movement in there since," he said.  
  
"Are you okay dad? You are not acting like your normal self. Mom is worried about you." He said and saw a flash that could only be described as pure anguish! It looked so unnatural on his father that it almost scared him.  
  
"I have been making her worry again," he sighed heavily and looked at him with a slow and sad smile. "I guess I am not good at hiding my feelings."  
  
"No your not dad," Gohan said with a smile. "Why don't you come in and eat something? That will make mom feel better."  
  
He took a look at the house that he was looking at and then back at him. "Okay. I guess I should eat something. I am a little hungry." He started to walk slowly towards their house. He looked over at his dad and couldn't read the look he was getting from him.  
  
"What?" Gohan said and rubbed his shirt, "Is there something on my face?" He ran his hands over his face.  
  
"No," Goku smiled. "I was just thinking of how proud I am of you."  
  
Where did this come from?  
  
"You have never left Videl. You are always there for her, Pan and Fry. You are always there," he said. "I was never there for you or your mother."  
  
"You were always there when it counted," Gohan said.  
  
"I wasn't there for so much more. For all the other stuff. The family stuff. I have tried to fill in those gaps for all of you but I just can't seem to do that," he said. "But you and Goten, you two are good husbands. You don't leave your wives. You don't leave your kids. You are strong and there for whatever it is and you all fight it together. I always left your mother behind without even a kiss goodbye."  
  
"Dad. You couldn't help it. There was always something coming. You were the only one that could protect us all," he said but he could see that his words did not comfort him at all.  
  
"I should have made her more important," he sighed. "Watched out for her much more, just like you and Goten do."  
  
"Dad?" Gohan looked at his dad worriedly.  
  
"I will try not to worry her anymore. With Bulma leaving us," he let out a great sigh. "ChiChi is getting on in years.."  
  
"Mom isn't going to die any time soon. She is to stubborn." Gohan said.  
  
"So was Bulma."  
  
"Don't even think like that dad!" Gohan said and grabbed his arm and stopped him from walking. "Dad. So many times, we have pushed the envelope. We have pushed the limits of everything! Everything and I have learned a long time ago-- from YOU-- that you should not worry about that stuff, because it all has to work out in the end. Dad. Everything happens for a reason. It always works out. It just has to."  
  
Dad's eyes were so large. He almost looked back to normal. Wide-eyed and shocked. He didn't look so old anymore.  
  
"Things happen and it make us all go nuts, but we are alive. I know we will all see each other again in the other world if something happens," Gohan said. "Before, mom was sad that she would not even see you in the Other world. Now she knows that she will. Dad. Everything always works out."  
  
Gohan saw his fathers eyes turn to the house that Goten and Soyna shared.  
  
"I should have never let Shelong leave me," he said. "I should have stayed in control and learned how to prevent those wishes from being stolen." He could see the sadness return to his eyes and that look of age returning. No, it wasn't age. It was guilt.  
  
"You couldn't have stopped what happened. Things happen for a reason," Gohan said.  
  
Goku looked at his son again. "When did you get so smart?" he said and threw and unexpected arm around his shoulder. "Your mom raised you well."  
  
"Dad you had a hand in it as well," Gohan said as they started to walk again. "You are a good man to have as a father."  
  
"I just wish I could have been there," Goku said as they entered the house and the cheery Goku emerged again as he asked for food. You could hardly tell that it was a façade.  
  
...............  
  
"You will tell her to take off that apron, right?" Cyrus said to Goten. "Mom does not look good in pink."  
  
"I will," Dad said. "You should hurry or you'll be late for your first class."  
  
"It's okay. I can catch up. They are just teaching me stuff I already know anyway," Cyrus said. His other siblings had already walked to their prospective groups and Legen to the junior high. "Oma taught me well."  
  
"I am sure that she did," Goten said, his voice a touch sad.  
  
"Dad, can I ask you something else? It's about mom."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why does she take things so personally?" Cyrus said but he somehow knew the answer as soon as he said it.  
  
"Well, son, it has to do with how she was raised," Dad said. "She felt she had the job of protecting her family and it is hard for her to think that anyone else can do it."  
  
Yes. He knew that. Grandpa Trunks wasn't there for when she was younger. She had to raise Uncle Junior and be in charge of the family with the help of Bulma in the other time. He knew that. How, he didn't know, but he knew that from somewhere. Mom had admired her dad so and him leaving hurt her a great deal. That was why she was the way she was, but it didn't explain this latest episode that involved an ever smiling woman that resembled his mother.  
  
"Go in son," Goten said. "I don't want to get a call from your teachers about you. You are supposed to be the good kid."  
  
Dad was half joking.  
  
"Just get mom back to normal, okay," he said and walked off. Unfortunately he heard his dad mutter under his breath. "I hope I can." That made his heart sink.  
  
..............  
  
Trunks promised her that he would talk to him, again. Crystal was insistent that he was going to leave and that it was going to be bad if he did. She wouldn't tell him why she knew that, she kept saying that it was going to be bad.  
  
He knew that he usually gave in to his daughters easily. They would look at him with those liquid eyes and he would just give in. Pan called him to easy on them and didn't like being the bad guy all the time.  
  
He couldn't help it.  
  
But this time he got her to promise him that she was going to start to learn to handle her strength. It was hard to get her to do that. But with watery eyes, she finally did. She didn't have to learn to fight like they do, but he made her promise to learn to control herself. He didn't want her to find a temper in that calm body of hers and blow something up.  
  
He had planned on leaving his father over there to work it out alone.  
  
Now he had to deal with his father.  
  
Again.  
  
He entered the house and the air was stale. Dad had not opened any of the windows. Bra had done a quick clean after mom had passed away. Pan helped her, but he had been so busy with other things that he wasn't too sure if anything else was done.  
  
"Father," he called out.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
He turned to see his father at the top of the stairs. He was surprised to see that he did look better than he saw him last. He looked rested. His eyes were bright again and he looked like his own determined self.  
  
"Are you okay here?"  
  
"Of course I am," he snorted and came down the stairs. He looked so much better. "Why are you here?"  
  
"I just thought."  
  
"I do not need a babysitter. I am fully capable of taking care of myself," Vegeta cut him off. Didn't Soyna use that line once before a long time ago on him? "You can leave now."  
  
He blinked a few times. His father was just dismissing him? He felt an old rage rise up in him. He pushed it back down. "Do you want to come over for dinner? Pan cooked enough food for dinner."  
  
"I am capable of fending for myself. I don't need a child to worry about me." Vegeta said sharply.  
  
"A child?" Trunks said in a low voice. "Are you calling me a child?" The rage was rising again. "Do you know what I have even gone through while you were wallowing is self pity?" He didn't realize that he was this angry with his father. "I have not even had time to mourn the loss of my own mother because of all the responsibilities that have been laid upon me! ME! Not you! The husband! No. ME! The son. I was there when she died, dad! I was there! I was there when the doctor came out and told me that she had a stroke. I was there! Not you! I was the one that told you that she was dead. I was the one that made all the funeral arrangements and all the phone calls. I was the one that had to fight the plummeting stock prices by sending out press releases to minimize the damage. I was the one that Bra came to for comfort when you shunned her. I was the one that was there! I was the one that people were shaking hands and patting the shoulder of and I had to deal with it all!" He fumed. "And you call me a child."  
  
The air seemed heavy in the room.  
  
The anger had taken feelings out of him that he didn't even know that he had. It was like a weight had lifted off his chest and now he looked to his father. He stood still as if he had been struck by the words and was silent for a while.  
  
He had that sad look again. That tired look. It looked as if he were trying to form his words together but couldn't figure out what to say. Finally he spoke, "Are you done?"  
  
That was all his father had to say to him?: Are you done?  
  
"Dad," he said and ran his hand through his hair and started for the door. "I do love you dad. I really do, as hard as you make it at times, but you do try my patience. You really do."  
  
Vegeta's eye twitched.  
  
"I have to go home now and deal with my little girls, your grandchildren, who are worried about you. Think before you act, will ya, dad. We don't want to loose you too," he said and left. He knew that there was nothing else to say.  
  
............ 


	13. Escape the Pain

Escape the Pain .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-  
  
  
  
Vegeta watched his son go.  
  
He couldn't find the right words to tell his son, that he was sorry for putting everything on him. He had not even thought about the fact that his son had watched his own mother die. He did not even know that he suffered but realized that he did envy his son for still having a woman's arms to take solace in.  
  
The vigor that he felt after sleeping back in his own bed, with her smell, was gone. His moment of peace was shattered.  
  
It felt good to be back in the house that he had called home for the last while. He thought that memories would hurt but the comforted him. He remembered how many long nights they would spend in bed together and there had been many of those. Those memories did comfort him as he lay down in the bed that they had shared. It allowed him to sleep, surrounded with soft memories of there past.  
  
He may never have told her that he loved her but he knew that he showed it to her in those tender moments, where it was only the two of them. Where there was no one else around to give him a wry smile or a shocked look.  
  
He still wished he told her and wasn't so harsh on her other times. She did not deserve the coldness that he sometime gave her or the harsh yells he would give her at other times.  
  
He was lost in thoughts of HER when he heard Trunks. He wanted to get back to his pleasant thoughts and drive the horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach away. But he saw that flash of anger appear in his son's eyes as he talked and the flash of pain that crossed his features as he talked about all that he had done.  
  
He had the right to feel the way that he did.  
  
He did not know how tell his son that he was sorry that he couldn't be there for him.  
  
He did not know how to be like Kakarott.  
  
As he walked out of the bedroom, he missed her terribly again. She would have known how to handle the situation and diffuse it. She always did that. The few pleasant memories that the rooms held for him could not make up for her absence. They never could. It only momentary filled the void that had been created by her death only to empty and leave a seemingly even more painful absence than what was there before.  
  
He knew that he was being selfish again. That part of him was defiantly coming back in full force and he didn't want to push it back.  
  
He walked to the one room in the house that he hardly ever went into. It was her room. Her lab. He was hoping that he could find the way to stop the empty feeling in there. He was pretty sure that he could find it. Maybe even an escape from the pain that he was feeling.  
  
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-  
  
"What the hell?" Goten whispered as he walked back into what he thought was his own house. It was totally rearranged. Totally.  
  
"Soyna?"  
  
There was no answer. It took him a little while but he found her. She was not in the training room as she usually did in the middle of the afternoon. He was almost shocked to see her sitting in her favorite chair and sleeping. There was cleaning stuff spread throughout the room and it looked like she changed the den as well.  
  
"Soyna," he said and shook her gently.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him.  
  
"Are you okay?" he said.  
  
"Fine dear," she said and yawned.  
  
Dear? When the hell did she start calling him that? He tried a pet name once. He just called her Honey and she gave a look that could kill and a smart slap on the arm and said to never call her one of those silly names again. She never called him Dear or Honey or Sweetums or any of those cutesy things. She was not a cutesy type person.  
  
"I was just cleaning house," she said. "I must have fallen asleep. It sure is a lot of work to clean up after those kids."  
  
"We have bots to help us with that," he said. She cleaned house before, but they weren't neat freaks. It was near impossible with 5 kids running around in the house.  
  
"No more bots," she said. "Real mothers don't use bots," she said and stretched now. Damn, she had to do that. Her shirt lifted up and showed her smooth belly and he couldn't help but want to grab her and take her upstairs. But he had to address the lack-of-bot issue.  
  
"We have 5 kids here, we need those bots," he said.  
  
"Real mothers don't use bots, so I can manage the household without there help," she said simply and stood now.  
  
He didn't like where this is going. "Soyna. You are a real mother. What are you talking about?"  
  
She just smiled at him, "things are going to be better around here."  
  
Better? "Things are just fine the way they were," he said.  
  
She gave a little chuckle and wrapped her arms around his waist. She was purposely trying to distract him and she knew exactly how to do it too. "They will be better now. I will concentrate on the kids more."  
  
"But what about training?" he said.  
  
Her eyes flashed a moment of pain but that smile came back. "If I need to train, I will make sure that the kids are not around. I don't want them to see their monster of a mother."  
  
"What about the kids training then? You are the one that shows them stuff, more than anyone else?" he said. They always wanted mom to show them a new attack or help them with new ones and they all wanted to become a supersaiyian. She did not push them hard. Not like he remembered being pushed at a kid to learn how to fight, but then, they didn't have a monster looming over his shoulder. She never even encouraged them to train, but they all did. Well, everyone but Benot now.  
  
"You can or Gohan, your dad, or Trunks," she said with a smile. "There are plenty of other people that can do it and I can just be me."  
  
"But." he started but her lips cut off his words as she kissed him deeply.  
  
"I have an hour to kill," she said in the sexiest voice in the world with the most wonderful tilt of the head to show her neck to him.  
  
He knew that he shouldn't have been lulled by it, but how could he not! He knew he should be trying to talk to her about this change that she was doing to herself and them. He knew that he should be trying to understand why she was doing it. He knew that he should be saying that she just couldn't switch gears like she is. He knew that he should be encouraging her regular routine. He wanted her to be the woman that he married: Strong and so confident in herself. Hardly the monster that she thought herself to be, but the kiss carried those thoughts away as quickly as they came.  
  
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-  
  
Benot couldn't believe what his brother told him. "Mom was acting like that?" He could not imagine his mother as cheerful. He had see her happy but not cheerful or bubbly. Those were just words that did not describe his mother.  
  
Legen nodded his head. "Yeah, it was almost scary," he said as they sat down in class. "You are coming home tonight, right? You can't still be that mad at her."  
  
"She hit me!" he said and looked in amazement at his brother.  
  
"Yeah, well, I would rather have her hit me than have such a weird mom. I liked our cool mom better." Legen said and pulled a book out of his bag. "I mean, it was like she was someone totally different."  
  
He thought about it for a minute. He must have really shook mom up. He knew that he was certainly still upset with her. He did feel a little bit better now that he talked to his read dad a bit. He wasn't sure if he was ready to see him mother yet. He had a couple of nightmares about mom turning into that monster that was out of control that he did not remember for the day of Oma's funeral. He still did not remember seeing mom like that, but he sure heard a lot of descriptions of it from everyone that had been there.  
  
"You better come home," Legen said. "I don't think I can deal with that alone."  
  
"It couldn't have been that bad," Benot said.  
  
"She was humming Benot. Humming. Have you ever heard mom hum once in her life and she kept calling everyone 'dear'. I would rather have her give me that silent stare of hers that you know your in trouble, that have her go all bubbly and call me dear!" Legen said. "Here. You don't need to get a detention on top of all the other weird stuff going on around here."  
  
His homework. "Thanks." He was grateful. Sometimes, he didn't get a long with his brother. It all started with his wish, even though, he now forgave him for doing that. He just wanted a father. He couldn't be upset about that and Goten was a good man.  
  
It was just too bad mom didn't wait a bit. He could have known the man that could have been their real father. Looking at his brother, he could see that he was going to look just like Brennen. Just like him. They could have been the twins! He looked nothing like his twin brother.  
  
"What?" Legen said and rubbed his check. "Is there still lipstick on my cheek or what?"  
  
"Lipstick?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. You missed that to. Mom was wearing lipstick and she made sure she gave everyone a kiss before we left. Man. That really freaked me out!" Legen said.  
  
"Mom doesn't wear makeup," Benot said.  
  
"Well, she does now." Legen said still scrubbing his cheek. "You are not going to make me endure that alone."  
  
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.  
  
"DAD!"  
  
Trunks just about jumped out of his skin. He was used to Gem yelling all the time and could almost block her out but he did not remember a time when Crystal yelled for anything. Anything at all.  
  
He quickly turned to her and saw that she was looking angry. A look that certainly was different for her and she had that older look to. She must be close to going gold, from the look of it.  
  
"What?" He said clutching his chest. Damn, his heart was not slowing down.  
  
"You were just supposed to talk to him! Talk not yell!" she said the angry look melting to a sad one. "I just know he is going to leave now."  
  
"If he does leave, he'll come back. We are family," he said. He didn't want to tell his daughter that it was probably best if he did leave for a little while to give everyone a break from each other. So he wouldn't see his wife in everyone face.  
  
"But dad. You don't understand. It will be bad if he leaves!" she said and stood right in front of him. "We need to stay together."  
  
"We will always remain a family. You know that sweetheart," he said. "Everything always works out in the end. This is just a difficult time for your grandfather that is all. He will come around."  
  
She looked as if she were going to start to cry.  
  
"He did look better when I went to talk to him," Trunks said as he tried to comfort his child. "He may be coming around."  
  
"He's going to leave!" She said in a whisper. "Leave!" Her voice was so sad. "I wished I had seen this coming."  
  
"Why are you so sure that he is going to leave?" he asked his daughter. A question that he should have asked her a while ago. She was just so determined in the fact that he was leaving. "Did you touch the silver ball? Did it show you something?"  
  
"No," She gave him a look that startled him. It was a look that Soyna gave him once. A look that meant, 'are you stupid or something'. It was like he was missing something obvious. "Why would have to touch that ball?"  
  
"How else do you know that he going to leave?" he asked.  
  
"Because I dreamed about it," she said. "I used to dream that they would fight all the time and it wasn't like the sparing and that came true. At least you didn't get hurt because I made you stay with me."  
  
"What?" he said and stared at his daughter in amazement. Was that why she was afraid of them all the time before and suddenly wasn't? "You dreamt about Vegeta and Soyna fighting, like they did the day of your grandmothers funeral?"  
  
She nodded. "I dreamt about it for a long time," she said. "I didn't realize that it was going to come true. The dream doesn't tell me when it happens." She came and crawled onto his lap, something that she did not do very often anymore. It was rather nice. "I would have said something if I would have known. That is why I am trying to make sure Vegeta doesn't leave. The dreams are all different now and confusing but I know that if he leaves, things will not be that nice around here."  
  
"Can you tell me anything else," he said. "Do you know why it won't be so nice around here?"  
  
"We won't be a family anymore," she said and hugged him. "We all loose each other and when earth is attacked again, we don't have any defense. I know that much."  
  
"The silver ball hasn't shown any of that," Trunks said. Had anyone touched it in the last while? He defiantly was going to check that out. "We always go on."  
  
She just sniffled and cuddled close to him. "Make sure that we stay together. We have to stay together. I couldn't bear to loose you. I don't want things to change. I like things the way they are."  
  
He hugged her fiercely as back as she cuddled close to him. He defiantly had to check the silver ball out to see if is showed him anything like what she was describing.  
  
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-  
  
Vegeta opened up the small case. It was in here.  
  
He had gotten over his feeling of dread of walking into her lab, her place, and a place that he seldom ventured into. She was a different person in the lab. Her mind on all the machinery that was around her and she would be so intent on fixing whatever she was working on.  
  
She always repaired everything.  
  
He knew that she had worked on things that looked impossible to repair and had done it. He had always been forced to listen with great boredom to how she connect this to that and how it had miraculously worked or failed.  
  
This was where she kept it. He was certain of it.  
  
He opened it and looked at the capsules. Well, there was only one way to be sure about it. He felt a flutter in his stomach. It took him a little bit to realize what he was feeling. He was nervous. He had never been nervous before in his life.  
  
There were a lot of new things that he was planning on doing. This was the first time in his life that he ran. Really ran. He could think of no other way to escape the pain.  
  
.-.-.-.-.--.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- 


	14. Stop the Future

_A new reviewer has joined the ranks...SSJ5 Medon..._

_Thank you for joining my story..._

_I am not getting many reviews right now, but I have the personality trait, that I have the story in my head_

_and I have to get it out... whether anyone else cares or not... that is why I like this site so much.  ... I have my regular devotees, DBZ obsessed and Brandon.... I am glad that you still are there and reading my tale_

_. . . .  . ._

_Keep reading, tell your friends and I shall finish Feud.  I am sure you will all be shocked by the twists I am going to throw into this next few chapters...._

_Well, anyway... enjoy the next chapter of the tale. . .Sorry for the lateness… I have been looking for a new job._

_Soyna._

Stop the Future.

Trunks had only touched the silver ball a couple of times before and it only gave him a headache.  It had never showed him anything but of course, he had not been expecting to see anything either.

He touched the silver ball and was shown a single image.

He had to shake his head a bit.

He wasn't a threat anymore.  He was totally weakened.  The dragon drained him of all his strength and made him helpless.  He was rotting in a human jail under embezzlement charges.

But the image just showed him Ligh, laughing and looking like he was no longer in jail.  How could he become a threat again?  There was no way that he could get out of jail.

He tried touching the silver ball again but it didn't show him anything further.  It just showed Ligh laughing and drinking from a glass and it looked like wine.  He sighed heavily and thought of what his daughter had told him.

She was certain they were going to be attacked again.  She was certain that they were all going to be ripped apart but he didn't know what he could do.

Ligh.

What could he do to them from jail?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Benot could only stare and blink.  He did not think that it was this bad.  He was wrong.   Mom had gone absolutely crazy and Goten only had a stupid smile on his face and seemed oblivious to what was going on around him.  He seemed to be enjoying this imposter.  She was an imposter after all.  Mom did not act like this.  Mom did not call him dear and ask if he was okay.

"I am really sorry for what I did to you dear," she said and smoothed his hair out and she still had that sickening smile on her face, "It will never happen again.  You don't have to worry about it ever again."  And then she went on about what she had cooked for dinner and mentioned a sickening desert that she had baked for them.

Mom had defiantly gone over the deep end.  There was no way now that he was going to mention to her that he saw dad.  He was going to talk to her about it.  He didn't want to keep secrets from his mom and maybe, he hoped, he would be allowed to see him from time to time.  He seemed like a really nice guy and he would like to understand that part of him that he thought that he was never going to know.

He was not sure how to approach this new mom.  She certainly was not what he was used to.

He endured dinner and how perfect she was trying to be.  She was not a grandma.  She was acting like ChiChi when she was in a good mood.  It was scary.  The worse part of it all was that Goten seemed to be happy about it.

They all were kind of waiting to see what would happen next when Flint asked when they were starting to train tonight.  "Crystal wants to start training.  It should be fun watching her trying to keep up with us."

She just smiled and said.  "You can go train with your father.  I have other things to do."

Flint just blinked.  "What?"

"Mothers aren't supposed to do that some sort of thing," she said with that smile and a strange sparkle in her eyes.

"But mom!  You love to train!"  Flint said.  Flare was staring on with wide eyes and Cyrus even looked concerned.  Legen was just sitting there shaking his head.  He could not believe this.

She smiled brighter, if that was possible, "I just want my children to be happy.  Now, I have to go clean the kitchen now.  You go grab your father or your grandfather if you want to train."  And she went to work in the kitchen.

Flint pulled at his hair and gave out a scream and turned to Goten who actually did look stunned with that outburst.  Flint then turned to him and glared.  "You did this!"

"What?"

"You turned mom into a girl!"  Flint said.

"Mom has always been a girl," Flare said and slapped her brother.

"You know what I mean.  She has turned into a sissy!"  Flint glared.

Sissy?  That was one word that he thought that he never would hear anyone call his mother.

............................

"Dad?"

The house felt eerily empty.  Trunks didn't like the feeling he was getting and he couldn't feel his father anywhere.  He couldn't feel him.  He had gotten really good at hiding where he was in the past years.  He was still not as good as Soyna.  No one was as good as she was at hiding her Chi.  No one, but it seemed that dad had learned to perfect it.

He held the silver ball in his hands and frowned.  It wasn't giving him anything else.  Not even a headache.

"Dad?"  Nothing.  He hoped that Crystal was wrong.  He knew his father needed space.  He knew his father did not like being crowded.  But the way that his little girl talked to him... his formerly shy little girl that had suddenly become so vocal.  "Dad are you here?"

Nothing looked out of place, a little dusty.  He could see that his father had slept; mom always complained that he was incapable of making the bed.  There was no other sign that his father had been here.

He did not think of looking in he lab.

....................................

Goku walked toward a troubled looking Trunks and asked him what was wrong.  He was carrying that silver ball, he was pretty sure that was not a good thing.

"Oh, I can't find dad," Trunks said.  "Crystal said that I had to stop him from leaving."

"Crystal?  Why would she say that?  He was shocked when Trunks told him that Crystal was having dreams that seemed to tell the future.

"When could she start doing that?" Goku said.

Trunks shrugged and told him that she had seen Vegeta and Soyna fighting in her dreams, which was why she was so nervous around them.  

"She says that her dreams are all changing and it is not good," Trunks said and looked at the silver ball in his hands.  This things is only showing Ligh laughing and sitting..."  He stopped for a second and looked pale.  "... he is sitting in my office.  In my chair, behind my desk!"  He seemed to be getting angry.  He glowered down at the silver ball.  "Why does this thing have to be so vague!"

Goku shrugged.  "It can't see what is going to change," he said.  "It needs to see something definite.  It is hard to see the future."

Trunks sighed and handed the ball to him.  "Can you see anything?"

He took the ball and did see a most horrible vision.

....................

"That is the fifth time that you checked your e-mail," Melody said.

He sighed heavily and exited the e-mail.  He knew he was obsessing.  He had only talked to his son last night.  The boy had enough worries without him sticking his nose into his life.

Melody gave him a look that he didn't too much care for.  He did not like to be pitied.  He knew he was acting like a jerk right now and he was really surprised that she was still around after all the revelations that he was almost forced to poured out to her.  He knew that he should be rejoicing hat she was still in his life, even after he confessed that it was love at first sight when he saw Soyna for the first time.  

"Sorry," he whispered.

"No need to be.  Just don't want you obsessing completely about him," she said and handed him a cup of tea.  Nice warm relaxing caffeine free tea.  "He probably needs to work things out with his mom."

He nodded.  She was right and he didn't want to be thrown into the middle of something horrible again.  Last time had really shaken his nerves; he didn't want that to happen again.

...........................

Goten pulled his son off of Benot who stood there passively.

Legen just grunted.  "Man, this is really messed up."

Goten chose to ignore him.  "It is not his fault," he told Flint and physically put him on the other side of the room.  "She just needs a little time to get over it. That's all.  Just give her some time and then we will have her back."  Goten said.  "I will train you all for the next while."

"I am not training!" Benot said.  He had no intention of ever setting foot in the gravity room again.

"Boo for you!"  Flint said.  "If you want to remain a weakling, that is your problem!"  Flint said.  "I do not want a sappy mom!  I like my strong mom!"

Flare just shook her head.  "She just needs time.  Like dad said.  Geez.  There is nothing wrong with training with dad.  He is as strong as mom."

"Mom is fun to train with!"  Flint complained.  "Sorry dad.  But mom gets really into it."  Goten just sighed.  She did really get into it.

"We just have to give her time."

"Well, I am still not training," Benot said stubbornly.

"That is up to you," Goten said.

Benot looked shocked that it was so easy.

Goten didn't want to stir anything else up.  There was enough 'crap' hitting the fan as it was.  Everyone just needed to cool down and come to their senses.  That was all.  He knew with this family it could take awhile but they had to have patience.  Everything always worked out.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"You promised your father," Pan said to her oldest daughter.  Crystal did not look to happy about being forced into training and most of all training with the other kids.

"Can't you train me?" she begged again.  "I don't want to have another reason for Flint to bug me."

"You will do fine dear," Pan said.  She was curious to see how she would do.  He did not doubt Trunks in telling her that she could go supersaiyian but she did not know how she would do in a fight with someone else.

Gem looked as if she was trying not to laugh.  "Oh, you will be used for target practice," she chuckled.

Crystal just frowned and pushed her hair out of her face.  She did need a haircut that was for certain.  She looked like her normal nervous self.

"Gem!"  Pan said in a stern voice.  "This is your sisters first time at this.  You will all have to take it easy on her."

"Yeah, yeah," Gem said.  So cocky at times, she was.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"What did you see?" Trunks said his eyes wide and he resembled the boy that he remembered that was eager to learn how to fight.

Goku started at the offensive silver ball.

"What did you see?"  Trunks said again and grabbing his arm.  "Was it bad?"

He shook his head as the images started to make some more sense and made him all the more ill at ease.  "Vegeta left," he said.  He got that much out of it.  The images really were rather vague.  "He is gone now."

"Dad?  Gone?  Where?"  Trunks asked urgently.  "Did it show you?"

Goku furrowed his brow. "It showed him with your mother."

Trunks just blinked.  "What?  Dad can't be dead!"  His voice was low but full of defiance.  "You must have saw wrong."

The images were already fading.  There was something else as well.  Three young people in their teens:  Familiar but he couldn't place them.  A young woman with long blonde hair and a rather skimpy outfit standing beside a young man that looked like her brother, they looked so similar, and a rather large man with dark hair and a scar across his cheek.  It showed them leaving behind a desolate planet behind in a space ship similar to the one that he once rode in when he went to Namek.  It was not the same, but similar . . . damn it.

He reached down and tried to get the images back again.  "When is this going to happen?" he said to it and it didn't show him anything.  Benot was right.  The ball was a piece of crap.

"What did you see?"  Trunk's was almost frantic now.  "Are you sure that dad is going to die?"  The poor boy was under so much pressure.  It wasn't fair that he had the brunt of everything on his shoulders.

"It won't show it again!"  He said.  The ball just gave him a kind of a humming headache.  It didn't show him any enemies!  Trunks said he saw Ligh.  Ligh was much to weak to do that destruction that he saw with the three young ones in the space ship.  "I think we better be on guard."

"I agree.  We should tell everyone to be on guard." Trunks said.  "I have to go find dad."  His voice was thick with worry.

Goku reached out and grabbed the young man's arm.  "We should try to stop this future.  Your father at least is with his wife."

"But…"He looked as if he was going to cry.  He gave himself a shake.

Goku put it in perspective.  "We should all be with our families."  He may not know what type of enemy that they were going to have to face, but he knew that he was not going to make the same mistakes that he made in the past with them.  He was going to make sure that he was with his family.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-

"Dad is forcing me to train," she said in a soft voice and did not leave Pan's side. She did not look too happy to be here.

"Right on.  Target practice," he heard Flint whisper to his sister and they both giggled.

"I don't think this is a good idea Pan.  I mean, she is should perhaps do something a little less dangerous first," he said.

"Sounds good to me," Crystal whispered.

"I trust you uncle Goten.  She just needs to learn how to control her strength" She said and pushed Crystal forward.  "It will be good for her anyway.  I will stay here and help.  I need to work out more anyway.  Where is Soyna?  She is usually doing this too, doesn't she?"

Goten didn't want to think about it.  "She is tired today."  He turned to the kids and told them to start their warm-ups.  Gem and Flare were already teasing Flint.  It was nearly a room full of girls.  Legen had opted out of training for the day.  "It is just to weird around here," was his excuse and he didn't blame him.  He wasn't really in the mood but the kids already were.

"Come on Crystal," Flint taunted.  "Lets see how the wimp can do against us."

Crystal chewed her lip and walked forward.

"Don't want to break you," Flint laughed.  "Come on.  Can you block me?"  Flint said.  Goten knew what was going to happen.  Flint was going to throw a punch and hurt her right off the bat, so that they can get down to –as he put it- serious training.  He did not like the idea of Crystal training.  She was not prepared for even the slightest gravity.  He was going to stop Flint but was shocked when Crystal had already BLOCKED his blow.

"What?" Flint stood there with his mouth hung open. He was stunned as well.  She blocked him.  Flint was pretty damn fast and he was certain that he was close to becoming a supersayian.  He was pretty sure of that.  Flint went to kick her.  Crystal stopped the kick s well.

"No way!" Flint said and took a step back.  "How did you do that?"

"I watched everyone train for a long time," She said.  "This is easy stuff."

"Easy Stuff!"  he scoffed and everyone backed away from him.  Flint's temper was much like his mothers. (Well, before she went all mushy anyway.) He could be abrupt and violent.

He was about to put a stop to all this.  He didn't want to see her getting hurt, when Pan put he hand on his arm.  "No.  Let's see if she can handle it."

That was when Flint put out an all out attack.  He had turned his head for just a second and by the time that he looked back, Flint was lying at his feet with a confused/dazed look on his face and Crystal was standing in the middle of the gravity room and she was gold!  She had turned supersaiyian!

Pan just patted his arm.  "She is a natural."

He just about fell over.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Trunks wanted to scream and yell and fight, but all he could do was wonder what the hell what was going to happen next.  Everyone had gathered and everyone saw something a little different in the silver ball, but it still was not good.  Soyna refused to touch it and kept going around and asking if anyone wanted another cookie.  She sure was acting odd.

Ligh obviously recruits some body to help him get out of jail.  They should have killed him.  They were assuming too much by thinking he was helpless.

Bra saw Dad with Mom and started to cry about how she was going to miss dad.  Raymond comforted her the best he could but she was quite gone after touching the ball.  

Goten just shook his head and looked as if he wanted to crush the ball.  "I can't see them."  Was what he said as he passed it on to Junior.  "I don't think we can fight whoever destroys our planet."

Junior saw Ligh.  "I think we should go search his cell.  I think he may have a communication device."

Junior tried to pass it to is sister again, but she refused saying something like it was just not proper.  Benot grabbed it from Junior instead.  He looked like he was going to yell at him mom.  He sure looked like he was upset over something.  But he saw something.  All he would say is something about he didn't want to see his dad getting hurt.

Goten looked touched.

Legen touched it and threw it across the room.  Thankfully ChiChi caught it.  "It has to be wrong!"  He yelled.  "Mom can't die."  That raised eyebrows.  He couldn't really say much more.  "Mom!"  He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I won't die any time soon silly," she said and gave a very strange smile.  Pan told him that she wasn't feeling very well, but this was certainly strange from the usually stoic woman.

"Let me see," Cyrus said and grabbed the ball.

Before Soyna could even raise her protest he had grabbed the ball and suddenly it wasn't a silver ball anymore.  It just turned black and Cyrus had a stunned look on his face.  A sharp cracking sound filled the room and then silence.

"What happened?" Benot was the first one to break the eerie silence.

Cyrus seemed to snap out of the trance that he was in and dropped the now coal black ball and watch it shatter on the floor. 

Everyone gasped.

What did that mean?

Cyrus looked perplexed at the pile of ash at his feet.

"What the hell does this mean now?"  Benot snapped and kicked at the dust that flew around the room.  "What the hell!  It was the crappiest excuse for a warning device and then it goes and self destructs when we are trying to decipher what it is showing us."

"I'm sorry," Cyrus said and backed away from his brother.  Trunks could just see the trouble brewing now.

But the question was . . . what were they going to do now?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_Kind of an odd chapter, I know.  A lot of tension. A mystery attacker?  Soyna is still insanely sweet.  What will happen next?  Are old enemies becoming new?  Why did the siver ball(warning device) become ash.  What of the vision that everyone saw?  What does it all mean?  Please patiently await the next chapter of my lovely little tale._

_It is going to be changing some pretty heavy gears._

_Soyna_


	15. A different Time

_I warned you. . . I am changing gears. . . big time. . ._

A Different Time 

Trunks took breath of the fresh air and smiled.  He was tired and sore but it was so good to be home.  He wanted to rush home and see his kids and wife, but he didn't really want them to see him like this.

His clothes were a mess and were still stained with blood from the battle he enticed.  He was pretty sure that his shoulder was dislocated because it hurt like absolute hell and he was in dire need of a hair cut.  It was getting much to long and he had to tie it back in a braid so that it wouldn't fly in his face.  He kind of like it that way though.  He knew that his mother would complain about it and tell him to cut it, but maybe he would keep it long like that.  It did look cool when he transformed.

But it was still good to be back home.

He snuck into his house, feeling a little bit like a thief.  He couldn't feel if anyone was home.   The house felt empty but he knew that didn't mean much.  Too many people were good at disguising their chi.   He wanted a shower and he wanted a good look at his aching shoulder.  He wanted to crawl into bed.

"AH-HAH!"

He jumped and turned around.  His eldest daughter was looking at him angrily.  Her hands on her hips and her eyes on fire.  She was even tapping her foot.  He had left with only telling his wife that he was going.  He knew that she was going to be mad at him.   He was hoping to avoid that conversation until he could get Raymond to look at his shoulder.  He knew his daughter.  She would use the shoulder to her advantage.

"Where the hell did you go?"  She snapped at him.

Before he could even open his mouth she rushed him.  He had just enough time to prepare for the inevitable hit that was going to come, but it shocked him that it wasn't a hit. . .   No, she hugged him rather fiercely and looked as if she was on the verge of tears.  "Why did you go without me?  I could have helped you," she said and he did his best to hug her back but he could only move his left arm to pat her back and stroke her hair.

"I had to do it alone," he said.  He couldn't explain it to her.  He had a hard enough time dealing with it at times.  "But it is done and I won't leave you again."

She grinned and pulled back, but leaving her small firm hand on his sore shoulder.  "Oh, I am so sure dad.  I will make sure of that!"  She patted his shoulder and he winced.  That was his girl.  "It has been a mess around here.  Mom has been frantically worried about you."

"Yeah,  I know," he said.  "But I.. ."

She pushed on his shoulder a bit.  She could be so mean sometimes.  "Wow, you really did a number there, didn't you?  I could pop it back in for you dad."

Before he could say _no, that's okay_, She put her other hand on it and pushed it back into place.   He didn't even have enough air in his lungs to scream after that.  He feel into a near by chair and gasped for air.

"Raymond is teaching me all that sort of stuff," she said with a smile.  "It sure comes in handy."

He finally got some air into his lungs.  "You will make a terrible nurse," he said with a smile.  "You need to improve your beside manner."

She smiled back at him and then that scary stern look came over her face.  He hated it when she did that.  It was a reminder of how he could fail her and how he was trying so hard not to.  "You should have brought me with you.  You preach to me all the time about how I should never have to worry about fighting alone and then you go off and obviously, started a war somewhere, _all alone_."

He never thought of it that way.

"But I am glad that you are back, alive and well," she said and took a deep breath that was like a sigh.  "You should go get a shower, wash off that grime.  Everyone will be back soon and they will all be glad to see you again."

She turned on her heel and went into the kitchen.  He sat there for a bit and recovered his breath.  He did not want her exposed to that.  He never wanted her to have to fight those horrible battles that he had fought in the past.  He never wanted any of that for his daughter.  He knew what could become of her if he allowed it to happen and he strived really hard to stop her from becoming so cold and hard, like her counterpart.

She still could be stoic and hard, but she was defiantly a lot softer.  When they trained, she was almost flawless in her manner, after she got used to the loss of her tail.  She decided – finally – that it was time to cut it off.  He had laughed at her clumsy attempts in the beginning, but that only made her more determined to get her fighting form back into shape.

Of course, he never even considered taking her with him.  He did not want them to see her or for her to see them.  He did not want them even on his planet so he went into space, hunted them down and got rid of the culprits that hurt his family.

"Are you just going to sit there?"

He looked over at the entrance to the kitchen.  She looked so much like her mother.  "I'm going."  He said and struggled to stand.  Boy, he was certainly weaker than he thought he was.  His knee's wobbled and he just about fell and was grateful when his daughter rushed to catch him.  "I guess I could use a little help," he said.

She shook her head.  "How did you even make it home alive," she said.  "You certainly look as if you could have used a lot of help."

"It was for the best.  Trust me," he said as he felt himself being dragged by his daughter.  He couldn't even move his legs anymore.

"Right," she said with a voice rich with sarcasm.

"Everything will be okay now," Trunks said and he felt his consciousness slipping.  The edges of his vision were going dark.  "No one will hurt you here.  Everyone will be safe and we can all live in peace."

"Are you losing it dad?"  She said.

"Nope," He said as his vision started to go dark.  "I have saved you, Soyna."

……………………

He kept playing with the capsule in his pocket: The one that brought him here.

Vegeta wasn't sure what time he was.  All he wanted to know was if his wife was still alive.  He wasn't to sure about the controls on it but this place looked like it was the right place.

He reached out to see if he could feel her.

He never felt so much joy as knowing that she was alive.

He never knew that he was going to miss her this much.  Hell, he didn't think that it was possible for him to care at one point in his life.

He started to walk towards where he felt her.  He was not sure how he was going to approach her.  He walked slowly.

Things didn't look too bad around here.  You could still tell that not everything had been repaired after Trunks took care of the androids but it looked like everyone had moved on with their lives.

There it was.  Capsule Corp, the place that he had called home:  A place that he struggled hard to avoid in the beginning but he had found himself drawn.  Drawn, as he felt now.  He would want to talk to her alone.  He didn't want to have any other interferes when he saw her.

The house was full though.  He could feel and hear it.  Kids yelling and screaming:  a shrill voice telling them to start behaving like humans.  Ah, Bulma.  Yes, there was only one person with that kind of voice.

She was alive.

……………………………………

Trunks remembered the story his older future daughter told him word for word and all that the others told him about her.

He made sure that he changed it so that did not happen.

First thing he did was that he tried to avoid getting his wife pregnant with their second child.  He got along with his son back in the other time, but he didn't want his loose his wife, but that failed miserably.  He remembered the day she told him that she was pregnant with Junior- or 'Geta as they call him that here.  He just about fainted.  She looked at him so angrily.  "You wanted more than one kid too."

He couldn't tell her why he was acting the way he was.

But they found a good doctor.  Raymond as a matter of fact.  He was shocked when he stumbled across his sister's husband at the hospital and demanded that he be there doctor.  Of course, he would never find Bra, for she was not born in this time, but he was a rather amazing doctor.  He also seemed to understand the Saiyian physiology better and it was a relief to finally find a doctor that wasn't guessing.

Even though he was in a state of being scared for the whole time she was pregnant.

When the time came, he was a wreck.  Things were going wrong and he wasn't allowed in the room with her.  He thought he was going to loose her.  The only thing that kept him stable was the fact that his daughter needed his comfort as well and his mother kept him grounded as well.

Carmen lived though.

He was a grinning idiot for days after that.  He had a new son and he still had his wife.

He could not imagine how he could have left the boy without his father around to raise him?  But then, his own father had not been around for him that much.  Of course, he made up for it in other ways.  He took good care of his daughter in the other time.  He saw that she adored him.

Things were much different here now.  Happier.

Not only did he have Soyna and 'Geta now, he had two other children as well.  'Geta was ten right now, Boxer was 6 and (for a sister that he never really knew) Bra was 4.

One big happy family.

Unfortunately Soyna did marry that Brennen fellow.  He did not trust the guy.  He remembered how sad she was when she talked about how he betrayed him.  He knew he scared the guy.  He knew it well and he was glad of it.  He threatened him, when they first started seeing each other that if he hurt her, his body would not be found.

He had even made sure that they still lived with him in Capsule Corp.  He did not want her to be out of his sight and more importantly, Brennen.

Of course, now with the Krad issue gone, there won't be the opportunity for Brennen's treachery.

He did not want her to be exposed to Krad and Ligh who did try to talk their way into persuading him to join their army.  The fight was harder than he thought it was going to be and thought that he should defiantly have brought Soyna.  Thankfully he was able to avoid the poison sneak attacks.  He had some medicine that the OTHER Raymond gave him that would prevent him from dying but he did not want to be weakened.

He killed the father and son that caused his family so much pain.

He destroyed their ship and fleet.

Earth and his family were safe.

His family.

He opened his eyes to see two large blue eyes staring down at him and a little four-year-old girl hovering over him, about maybe an inch from his face.  Bra.

"Daddy's up!"  She bellowed and bounded off his chest and placing a foot firmly in his stomach as she did so.

It was good to be home.

…………………………….

She was happy to see her son wobble down the stairs.  He looked awful though.  He hadn't brushed his hair and there were bruises all over his body and it looked as if his shoulder was one giant purple mass.  Of course he looked a lot better than when she first saw him.  Soyna was dragging him up the stairs.  He looked as if he were dead, the way his head kept lolling around, but he was alive and well and back home.

Her grandkids surrounded him and you could see him wincing as they hugged him, but he didn't complain.  He smiled brightly at them as they rambled on about how much they missed him.  Bra was crying again and clutching his leg.  Boxer was jumping around like he was on a trampoline.  'Geta had him in a full bear hug.  He was pretty big for a ten year old.  He was almost as tall as Soyna who was standing back with a large smile on her face.

There family was whole again.

Carmen then came in and cried as she hugged her husband.  She did not know the whole story of why Trunks left and Trunks did not want her to know.  "She doesn't need to know about the danger that our family is in.  She doesn't need to know that Soyna and 'Geta are forced to go to another time.  She doesn't need to know…" his voice had trailed but she knew what he wanted to say.  ". . . _that I had abandoned my own children."  _He never wanted her to know that she died and he left his children because of his grief.  

He still felt guilty for something that he didn't do.

But he was home now and the threat gone.

She couldn't think of anything better

………………….

He was surprised at his own patience.  He waited for her to come to him, more or less.

He didn't want to barge into the house and have to deal with Trunks and his family and Bulma.  He just wanted to deal with her.

There she was.

Vegeta stayed in the shadows and watched her.  She looked older than he remembered her ever being, but this Bulma's hair was longer and rested against her back in slightly graying waves.  She still walked with that confidence that she always had and she had a most wonderful smile on her face.

"Wait up Grandma!"

A little voice and a small girl came running from the door, a girl that sharply resembled his daughter at that age.  A little taller maybe and the hair was darker than his daughters light blue hair.

"Okay.  Okay.  I thought you would want to stay with your father.  After all, he just got back," She said and took the hand of the girl and started walking.

She looked around as if she were going to say a secret and motioned her grandmother to come closer to her.  "I think he wants to be alone with mom," she said in a hushed voice.

Bulma laughed.  A real laugh.  It still hurt so much.

They started to walk out of his hearing range.  They mentioned something about the lab… of course, where else would she be going this time of night.

………………………

………………………

………………………

"Calm down Benot," Goten said and grabbed his arm.  "This won't help anything.  We have to be calm and prepare."

Benot tore his arm away from Goten.  "That is why people attack us!"  He said.  "Because we prepare!  We get stronger so then our next enemy is stronger and the next thing you know, we are so strong that a dark creature from the nether part of the universe seeks us out!  That is what is happening isn't it!  But hey!  Guess what everyone!  We are the dark creatures!"

Soyna was still comforting Legen who was refusing to let her go.  "Don't talk nonsense like that!"  Her voice was curt.

"It isn't nonsense!"  Benot snapped.  "It is what you taught me!"  He said curtly.  "Fight or die.  What good does that do us?"

"Someone needs to protect us and if mom dies…" Legen yelled at his brother through tears.

Goku chewed his lip as he watched them continue to argue.  Everyone was watching them and watching how Soyna seemed so… so different.  And she was.  She was avoiding talking about actually fighting.

But his attention went to Cyrus who looked as if he was fighting tears and rubbing his black hands against his pants.  What did he see before the ball fizzled out and turned to ash?  He looked anxious to get it off of him.

"What good is it to fight one more time!"  Benot snapped.  "Something else will come and ruin our lives!  There is no escape here!  NONE!"

It was Trunks that put a comforting hand on the boys shoulder.  Benot was shaking and his power level was rising.  The boy sure could become strong when he was angry.  "We all need to calm down," Trunks said.  "And think things through."

Benot just shook his head.  "I am so done with all of this."

"What do you mean by that?"  Goku said and felt a little uncomfortable when all the eyes came to him.  He thought he knew what he meant and didn't like what it meant.

"I am leaving.  Going someplace where I am wanted!"  he said.

"Benot?" Cyrus said and still is wiping his hands against his pants.  His former tan pants were starting to look black.  He looked like he was going to say more but Benot just shook his head.

"Everything is just to crazy for me!  I am going to a place where it is sane!"  Benot yelled.

Soyna stood.  "And where is that?"  Everyone was looking at them.  It was almost as if the strong Soyna was back… it was like those dreams he used to have when he was still part of the dragon… it was weird.  It was like the warrior and the mother were actually two different people here.

"With my father," he said with a sniff and started stormed out.

He turned to his son and saw a confused look and then a look of pain.  Yes, they had been getting along well, before all this started.  Before Bulma died and Vegeta tried to get the wishes out of the boy.

Cyrus was the one that spoke.  "No!  Benot!  You can't go.  Benot!"  He ran forward, stirring up that black dust which really seemed to be clinging to his clothes.  It wasn't even on Benots boots and he had kicked the stuff up.  What did that mean. "It won't be safe with Brennen."  Benot stopped.  
  


The name sent ripples throughout the room.  Soyna just closed her eyes and opened them again.  Goten looked as if he were about to collapse.

"It will be a hell of a lot safer than will all you crazy people!"

Benot left.

No one else moved to comfort the weeping Cyrus.  He did.  It all started with him anyway.  Goku put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  How did the dust get up there?  Cyrus took a puff out of his inhaler and tried to catch his breath.  He knelt beside him.  He was completely black now.  The dust, how did it do that?

"I shouldn't have touched the ball," Cyrus said and took another puff off his inhaler.

What the hell was happening?

Soyna got anxious now and came forward and knelt on the other side of him and tried to wipe some of the dust off of him, but that wasn't working.  "Let's go home and get you into a bath.  We can talk about this unpleasantness later."

She was brushing of her son storming out as if it were nothing?  Goku just blinked at her.  Yes, it was like the dreams.  The side the warrior called the 'weaker' side or the soft side, but this was the extreme side.

"But mom," Cyrus said and gasped.

"Let everyone one else deal with it," She said.  "We are going home to take care of you.  You shouldn't get so upset.  I don't want to have to take you to the hospital.  They are the fighters."

Legen who obviously was still shaken by his vision, "But you're a fighter too mom."

She just smiled that sickly smile that was almost more terrifying than seeing her transform into that half ape, "Not anymore."

……….

_Warned you._


	16. Temper Discovery

Temper /  Discovery.

Cyrus looked at the black dust on his clothes and tried to brush it off even harder but it seemed so determined to stick to him.

He was shocked at his mother announcing that she was no longer going to be a fighter.  He thought that was just a phase she was going through.  Mom was always a fighter.  Of course, announcing it was a bit different.  He didn't need to say anything though.  Everyone else was talking and she just kept shaking her head and refusing to be a fighter.

He didn't think anyone else heard her words.  "I lost one son.  I will not loose another."

But he was more worried about the dust that seemed to be crawling on him.  Grandpa Goku was the only one that stayed near him, but everyone seemed to be talking at once.  The words all seemed to be a confusing mess.  How could the strongest female Saiyian ever, suddenly decided that she wasn't going to fight anymore?

He felt Goku trying to brush the dust off of him.  It did seem to be disappearing off his clothes but he could feel it on his skin and it was starting to itch.

"How long as your mom been acting his way?" Grandpa asked him as his hands still worked on the dust.  Yes, he defiantly could feel it on his skin.  The idea of having a bath now sounded really good.

"Since she hit Benot," he said.  That seemed so long ago but it was actually on the day before yesterday.    Grandpa stopped brushing the dust off of him and was now concentrating on the voices.  Trunks was saying something to mom and he looked quite angry at her.  Usually, Trunks tried not to interfere with her.  He understood there was still a little bit of discomfort between them, especially since her real father came for a visit before he was born.

The room fell into silence.  He wished he had been paying attention.  He was pretty sure it had to be something really good to quiet the heated voices that once filled his ears.

He thought his mom was back for a moment.  She looked angrily at Trunks and Trunks looked angrily back at her.  He could almost feel the electricity in the air.  "Are you going to turn your back on everyone now!  After all this time!"  Trunks snapped.

"I have no intention of hurting my family anymore.  I have done enough of that," she said to him.  Her voice was full of venom.  "I have done nothing but cause disturbances and I will not allow that anymore."  Dad had gone to mom and looked hesitant to put his hands on her shoulders.  She was shaking slightly.  She was holding herself back.

"So you are going to run and hide!"  Trunks said and took a step towards her.  Pan took a step back and went to Crystal and Gem who were looking a little frightened in the corner with Flint and Flare who looked confused.

He did not expect to see his mother slap Trunks.

It shocked everyone.

Trunks had a handprint on the side of his face and a look of utter amazement on his face.

"I am done talking of this!  There is school tomorrow.  The children should be in bed by now.  Flint.  Flare.  Legen. Cyrus." she said and then turned to Goten.  "You can do what you wish."  She didn't say it in a mean voice, but it was a little cool.  "I'll be at home waiting for you."

"Mom," Flint started but she just waved at him and told him to go out the door.  He felt himself following also.  He didn't like what this meant.  He took another hit off his inhaler, even though he didn't really need it.

……………………………

"Can you go get him?"  She was looking out the window as she spoke.  Goten looked to her as she slowly turned.  It was happening all over again.  She was torn inside and this time, she was going the other direction.  "I can't do that."  Her voice was so sad.  He knew that she was referring to Benot.  He knew that was all that she was thinking about since they arrived at home and he shuffled the kids off the bed.

"Maybe, he should just stay away for a couple of days," he said and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  He didn't want to leave her.  She seemed so fragile right now.  He wasn't sure what would cause her to break now, but it didn't seem like it would take very much.  Benot had hurt her a lot with her words, but they were just spoken out of anger.  He didn't really mean them.  The boy had been through so much.  He did feel a little bit bad when he referred to that other guy as his father, but it was the truth.  They had just started getting along. 

"I don't know," she said and put a hand to her forehead and looked like she was going to cry.  "Do you think so?"

He nodded.  "You should get some sleep and that will help clear your head."  He said and started to escort her to their bedroom.

"I can't seem to make the right choices," she whispered and ran her hands through her hair.  She looked so lost.  He had never seen her look that way.  He was really worried about her.

"Just get some sleep.  We will deal with the new day when it comes," he said.  He wanted just hold her and kiss her, but she was already walking away from him.  "I am going to talk to dad."  He said.

She just nodded and disappeared into their room.

……………………………

"Really?" Gohan said and smiled at his granddaughter.  "You knocked Flint on his butt?"

"Uh-huh!"  she said.  "Uncle Goten called me a natural!"

"I would say so," Gohan said and reveled in the new level of confidence that was in his grandchild.  It was nicer to talk about such things other than the partial visions that were seen before the silver ball turned to ash.

"He got me mad and I just flashed to gold and bam, he was gone."

Flashed to gold?  Is that what he thought it meant?  "Yes dad," Pan said with a smile.  "She has been hiding it from us.  She was scared that she would turn mean if she learned how to fight."

"Not mean, angry.  I don't want to angry like everyone else," she said.  "It still felt good to knock Flint on his butt.  I wasn't angry at him, but he deserved it and it felt really really good."

"You were just lucky," Gem said.  He could see the jealousy in her already.  Well, she was the first of them go gold, as she like to call it.  They thought that Flint would be the first.  Well, Benot was just about there, but now, he obviously removed himself from the situation.

Goten had returned looking a little drained.

They were still not sure of what they were going to do next.  Bra would start crying if they just mentioned that Vegeta was gone.  She refused to believe it and she was not in a very good condition now.

Trunks was just sitting there and seething.  He could not get over the fact that she had slapped him.  He hadn't said a word about it since she left but he kept stroking his cheek and his eyes kept getting harder and harder.

Goku went to Goten and patted him on the shoulder.  There wasn't much else that was to be said.  "Just give her a couple of days," Goten said.  "I am sure she will come around."

"Around to what?"  Trunks snapped at him.

"Huh?"  Goten said and was taken aback by Trunks outburst.  That handprint was rather bright on his face.  She must have hit him rather hard.  It looked like it almost glowed.

"She is impossible!  She just decides not to fight!  She trains day in and day out.  She gets everyone else all riled up about staying in prime condition and then she just turns on a dime!"  Trunks said and walked toward Goten.  "Go talk some sense into her!"

"What?"  Goten was still in a state of shock.  "It is just a phase."

"Oh.  A phase," Trunks said with a snarl.  "That makes everything so much better!  We need her now and this is what she does.  She is trying to kill my father!  Maybe she has already done that!  Maybe that is why in my vision I saw mom and dad together?"   he snarled.

Gohan had never seen Trunks look this way before.  He was starting to loose control and his hair was starting to sparkle with the transformation.   Actually that was wrong.  He had seen the OTHER Trunks act like this before when he was yelling at his own father for being – paraphrasing -- a self-centered prick.

"She hasn't…" Goten started and Gohan saw it coming but he was not quick enough to move to stop it.

Trunks threw a punch.

…………………………….

…………………………….

……………………………..

It felt good to sleep without worrying about anything anymore.  It would have felt better if he could have been alone with Carmen, but that sure didn't happen.  He didn't mind Boxer, Bra and 'Geta crawling into bed with him though.  He had missed them so much.  In the last six months that he missed they seemed to have grown up so.  'Geta looked as if he had grown a foot.  The boy was getting so big!  Of course, he knew that he would grow to be a big man, but he thought that he would remain a little boy for little while longer yet.

Boxer had a hair cut since he last saw him and his former mess of dark blue hair, almost black, was now short and trim.  It was one of the first things that he complained about.  "Mom made me cut my hair."  He was trying to grow it longer like his.  He really did not want to see his son with long hair that he has to braid it.  He really had to cut his own hair.  The boy also seemed to have gotten a little taller, but not as much as his older brother.  He was trimmer than 'Geta.  Much trimmer, he was like his mother.  Bra looked like Bulma and she was also the only one that had the blue eyes.  Everyone else had the green.  None of his children looked like him.

He opened his eyes and was a little shocked that the bed was empty.  He didn't even feel anyone leaving the bed!  He then noticed the sounds downstairs.  Everyone was already up and from the sounds of it, they were trying to be quiet.  He knew it was impossible for them to be quiet.  

He struggled to get out of bed.  The pillows seemed to be calling him.  He was still so very tired.   His shoulder still ached but the bruise was already failing.  He grabbed the first set of clothes that were easy to grab and got dressed and it nearly exhausted him in doing that.  The pillows may have been calling him, but he wanted to be with his family more.  He had six months to catch up on.

He splashed some water over his face before he headed downstairs to see his family.  It looked like he had slept all day.

"About time," Soyna greeted him at the bottom of the stairs and escorted him to a chair.  "Thought you were going to sleep through your welcome home meal."  She said and returned to the kitchen where Carmen was.  He could smell dinner and it smelled so good.  He was hungry.  He didn't realize he was so hungry.

Carmen came over and gave him a kiss and that seductive smile that she always does.  "We thought you died on us."  She smoothed out his hair.  "Boxer was jumping on the bed trying to get you up earlier, but you were still not moving."

"I was more tired that I thought," he said and kissed her.

"Hey," Soyna said.  "Eew you guys.  Geez.  I am in the room, here!" 

He smiled.  He was so glad to be home.  "Where is everyone else?" he asked.  He was pretty sure he heard them earlier down here.  Was he mistaken?

"You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Cheater!"

Nope, wasn't mistaken.

"I did not cheat!"

He turned to see Boxer coming in looking rather despondent and holding a hand over one of his eyes.  'Geta followed behind him.  "Well.  It wasn't fair."  Boxer protested.  "Dad!  Dad!  'Geta cheated."

"I did not!  Dad.  We were just sparing!"

"Yeah, and he cheated!"

"I did that solar binding attack so that he would learn that you can win on speed alone," 'Geta said.

"YOU HIT ME!"  Boxer yelled.  "When I was in that bind!  That is just not fair."

"What do you think an enemy would do if you were in a snare?  Wait until you were free to attack?" Soyna interjected.

"No, but…" Boxer whined.   He was a rather sore loser at times, especially when it came to 'Geta.  For some reason, he thought that he should be a better fighter than his older brother was.  No one tried to bet Soyna when they spared.  They just hoped she was in a good mood.  Hell, so did he at times. She may not be as trained and disciplined as her counterpart was.  She couldn't transform past level 2, but it was a strong level 2.  He was pretty sure if she were pushed, she could go farther.  "I'm just a kid!"  Boxer bellowed.

"That does not matter to an enemy.  What do you think your training for?"  Soyna said and shook her head.  "Go wash up and go find you sister."  She commanded.  "Dad's welcome home dinner will be ready soon."  
  


"You are not the boss of me!" Boxer said.  He was a bit jealous of his sister strength.  He already was striving to be stronger than her.  It caused a little bit of a comedic rivalry between the two, since Boxer was nowhere near as polished of a fighter yet.

"Now, now," Carmen said and standing between the two.  Soyna looked like she was ready to throw the spoon that was in her hand at him.  He wouldn't put it past her.  'Geta looked happy that his older sister was belittling Boxer.  After all, it was very obvious that 'Geta was her favorite sibling.  "Go and do what your sister said."

"Mom?" Boxer continued to whine.

"Go on now."  She said.  Boxer gave him a look but all he did was shrug.  He learned a long time ago that he did not try to disobey the women in his life.  It was just too dangerous.

Boxer gave a defeated look and parted from the room with 'Geta grinning widely as they walked out of the room to go find their sister.

"Where's mom?  Isn't she helping you cook?" he said.  He was actually surprised that she wasn't around worrying about him.

Soyna just shrugged and kept on going.  Carmen just shook her head.  "Hum… I have not seen her all day actually.  She went out to her lab last night but that was the last I saw of her."

Of course.  Where else would his mother be?

"She is with her boyfriend."

He jumped.  It was Bra standing in the doorway to the living room with a soda in her hands.  She must have been watching TV.  She could hide her chi very well at her young age.  She didn't even have to think about it.  It was just not there to read.  It was very annoying.  

"Boyfriend?"  Carmen said.  "Since when does your grandmother have a boyfriend?"

Bra gave a shrug.  "Since last night I guess," she said and came over to him and gave him a hug.  She was not interested in sparing yet, but he knew that she would be strong if she wanted too.  Her hug hurt his shoulder.  

Soyna shook her head.  "Don't be silly Bra.  I'll go get her," she said and took off the towel that was draped over her shoulder.

"No.  That's okay," he said.  "I need to move anyway.  I'll go get her."  He stood.  He didn't want to move, but he knew that if he didn't, he was going to be as stiff as a board.

"I don't think so dad," Soyna said in a stern voice.  "You are not well enough.  I do not want to have to carry you up the stairs again."

"Easy dear," Carmen said.  "Let him go.  The walk will do him some good."  Ah, his wife.  Always there to back him up.  "Plus, I need you to stop the fight that is going to start upstairs."

There was a loud crashing sound and some yelling.  'Geta and Boxer were going at it again.  Sometimes he wished that Bra was in the middle of those two in ages.  Maybe then, they wouldn't fight with each other so much.

 Soyna sighed at went upstairs as the noise continued.

"Not much has changed," he said.  "I am so glad to be home."  His legs felt weak but not as bad as before.  He was certain the walk would do him some good.  

"Can I go with you dad?" Bra said and tugged on his arm.  "Huh?  Huh?"

"I need you hear Bra," Carmen said.  "Do you want to ice the cake or not?"

Her eyes just lit up at the thought of icing.  Things certainly did not change that much.  He gave Carmen a kiss on the cheek and was to go out the door when Brennen entered.  "What is going on up there?"  he said.

There were some days when he thought the guy was good for Soyna and there were some days, when he was certain that he was going to betray her.  It was one of the reasons that he kept putting off going into space to take care of Krad and Ligh.  He put it off until he no longer could.  He had done nothing to give the indication that he did nothing but love her, but he still did not like the guy at times and this was one of them.

"Oh.  You're up.  How are you doing?" he said with a nervous smile.  He was glad that he still made him nervous.

"Fine." He said.  He knew his voice was a little cold.  He couldn't help it.  He doubted that he would ever trust the man.  Carmen poked him.  She thought Brennen was great for Soyna.  After all, they had been married now for five years and had proven himself to be a good man for her.  But then, she did not see the OTHER Soyna, telling how she was betrayed by him.  He knew a bit more that she told.  Junior told him.  But it still did not make him like the guy.

There was a loud crash and he heard his daughter's voice.  "YOU LITTLE BASTARD!  When I catch you, you are so toast!"

It was going to take them awhile.

"I am going to get mom," he said and was almost relieved to get out of that room.  He was still immersed in the words that his OTHER daughter told him.  He had thought of nothing else but killing Krad and hoping that in some way, he could help his daughter from becoming so jaded in this life.

He walked out the door, slowly.  Moving to quickly sent his head into a spin.  Thankfully, her lab was not far from the house.  When Soyna and Brennen moved in after their wedding, mom had built her lab outside the house so that she could have a quiet spot to her work.  Of course, she thought she was going to have great grandkids soon, but Soyna and Brennen haven't given any indication that they were thinking of that yet:  Even though, by his calculations, he should be a grandfather in less than a year, if he didn't change too much of the history.  He would finally have someone that resembled him around the house.   He had been careful not to say anything about that.  He did not want to jinx anything that was good coming out of their relationship.  He was actually hoping for grandkids.  He knew he would not get have all the ones that he met in the other time, but he would hopefully have at least Benot and Legen.

He opened the door lab.  Her work area was empty.

 That was odd.

He went into the next room, slowly walking.  His legs were not going to hold him up much longer.  He really needed to sit down and the only chairs were in the room that mom made for herself.

Her little area that she called her cabin.  It was where she went when the kids got to wild and they all respected her privacy in there.  He did too.  His mom did need to have some space that was her own, after all, she gave up the house to him and his kids.

"Mom?"

There was no answer and it didn't look like she had been tinkering with anything recently.  Usually there were tools and wires loose about everywhere if she was really on to something.  The place looked really clean for his mother's lab.

He wondered what Bra was talking about.  Mom having a boyfriend?  Mom had never had a boyfriend as far as he knew.  If she did have one, he didn't know about it.  Not that he discouraged her to find a boyfriend or even a friend that was a guy.  He remembered when he was young, before he really started to train, that he asked mom why she didn't date.

She just shook her head and sighed, "And go through all that aggravation again.  I don't think so son."

He was five.  Innocent of that part of life.  He didn't know what she really meant until he met his father.

"Mom?"  he called again and staggered towards her little 'cabin'.  "Are you in here mom?"

He opened the door.

Bra was not kidding about Mom having a boyfriend.

……

_Nothing to note here… hoped you enjoyed this harrowing tale._

_.._

_._


	17. Shock to the System II

Shock to the System II

He had waited for the little girl that they called Bra to leave before he went into the lab.  He did not want to have any interference.  He just wanted to see her alone.

"I'll give daddy a kiss for you," The little girl that looked like Bra said as she bounded towards the main house on the Capsule Corporation property.  She sure reminded him of his own daughter but that was a nagging doubt in the back of his head that he did not want to think about right now.  He wanted to think of Bulma.

Tell her that he was sorry without feeling like a sap.

He had opened the door and she was already elsewhere in the building.  He was surprised at how neat the lab was.  She never had a neat lab but she always knew exactly where everything was.

She must be between projects.

He could hear some music playing in the next room and her voice humming along with it.  He used to tease her about that.  He wouldn't do that anymore here though.

He pushed open the door and saw her sitting on the edge of the bed with her eyes closed.  She was braiding her long hair with the deft movements of her fingers that he doubted that he could accomplish.

He walked silently in.

After all this time.  He did not know what to say to her.  He just looked at her as she was braiding her hair and humming to whatever awful tune was playing on the CD player.   He had stopped in front of her and just stood there until she had opened her eyes.

Her hands fell away from the braid.  It slowly began to unravel as she stared at him for a bit.  She blinked her eyes a few times as if she were trying to clear her vision.  He couldn't help but smile.  She looked just so… so… well… he couldn't find the right words.

She rose slowly from the bed and her hands shook as she slowly reached up and touched his cheek.

"I'm back."  He had said simply and reveled in the sparkles in her eyes and the warmth of her touch on her cheek.  Even if that sparkling moment was brief and the familiar fury flashed in her eyes and a hand sharply struck his cheek.

She screamed and hit him for about a half hour he guessed and gladly let her do so.  

When she was finally clamed down, through tears, "Are you back from the dead?"

He pulled the capsule out of his pocket to show her.  It was easier than trying to explain and he really did not come here to explain why he was here right now.  She took the capsule out of his hand and examined it.

"Did something happen?  Is there going to be something bad happening again?" she said as she examined the capsule and then his face.

"I missed you," was all that he was able to say and he had said it in a whisper.  He didn't want to explain and had no intention of doing it right then and there.  He took a step towards her and kissed her.  He wanted to stave off the questions for a while yet.

He was very glad that it worked.

It worked really well.

Of course though, morning came.  The questions were due now.  He had no idea how he was going to tell her.  He never thought of that before.  He just wanted to see her again.

He stared at her for a bit, before she woke up.  How could he still feel so sad, when she was right beside him?  She woke up and gave a start.

"I thought it was a dream." she said.  "You have no idea how much I have dreamed about you."  There was that sadness in her eyes.  He felt that pang of guilt.  This Bulma was so alone.

"I'm sorry," he said as he looked at her.  His voice was low.  He wanted to say more, but he could not put the feelings into words.  That was never his strongest point.  He was better with actions, even if they were sometimes faulty too.

"Sorry?  For what?" she said and looked at him confused.

"For… for everything," he said and looked away.  Damn it.  He didn't think it was going to be that hard to talk to her.  He felt his hands clenching the sheets that were draped over his bare legs.

Bulma repositioned herself on the bed.  Closer to him.  He felt her hand touch his face and directed him to look at her.  He allowed it.  "What happened in the other time?  I thought we were together."

"I lost you," he said.  He could not say the other word.  He could not say what truly happened to her.  He did not want to tell her what a fool he had been or what he had done in the state of grief.

She seemed to think over what it meant.  He did not interrupt her.  He enjoyed the closeness, her smell, the softness of her skin, the slightly tousled hair from their activities the night before, and the blush that formed on her cheeks as he stared at her.

She looked straight in his eyes, the only woman that had ever been able to do so, and said.  "I guess you found me."  Her hand went through his hair and he marveled at how much he had missed her.

They spent the day together.   They hardly talked.  It didn't matter.  He was back with her and she was back with him.  He totally lost track of time.  He was in heaven in that little cozy room with her. 

That was until he heard Trunks voice calling for her.  Of course, he heard the voice to late.

He did not expect the door to open.

They were not in that bad of a situation.  At least they were still covered by sheets.  Trunks face turned bright red and he put a hand over his eyes and shakily excused himself.  Her face went crimson as well.

She looked at a clock.  "Oh my!"  she said and hastily began to dress and straighten her hair.  "Get dressed you fool!" she said and threw his pants at him.

"Mom!"  Trunks raised voice game through the door.  "Um… you can invite your guy friend to dinner if you want."  He sounded awkward.  He knew how he felt after all, he was the one that had discovered the secret relationship that he had with Pan… talk about reversal of roles or what?  Maybe he shouldn't have been so hard on Trunks back then.  Of course, he was pretty sure that he did not see who he was, for his back was turned and the shock of seeing… Man, he really should not have been so hard on Trunks.  He seemed to be taking it easier than he took his discovery. 

He grabbed his clothes and dressed.

"I thought Bra was joking when she said that you had a boyfriend," he said stumbling over his words with an awkward laugh.  He heard his son stumble over something and crash to the floor.  A few curses and a moan.

Bra?  That must have been that little girl.  He was going to have to get filled in on the history over here.  Things obviously were different now from the one that Soyna and Junior came from.

Bulma sighed and gave him a kiss and then went out.  Trunk's was on the floor looking rather worse for wear.  He had stumbled over a stool.  He looked a little weakened.  Had he been in a battle recently?  He looked like he took one hell of a beating.

He followed after Bulma and saw the utter shock on Trunk's face.

"Father?" his voice was barely a whisper.  "What are you doing here?  Did something happen?  Is Soyna okay?"  His voice rising with each question with more urgency.  Also,  his injuries no longer seemed to bother him.  He was no longer concerned about the scene that he had interrupted.  He stood up, even though his shoulder did droop a little but he looked as if he were preparing for bad news.  "Is there going to be another enemy?"

"No," he said simply.

"Then why are you here?" he said with his eyes darting back and forth between then both, looking for an answer.  "What happened to bring you here?"  His eyes were thick with worry and his whole body was tensing up, as if he were getting ready for a fight.

"Trunks," Bulma said and standing beside him.  "You shouldn't get yourself all worked up in your weakened state."  And then the Bulma he knew took over and made Trunks act like he was a little boy again.  "And what are you doing out of your bed anyway?  You are in no condition to be barging into my room anyway."

She was so good at changing subjects.

"But…" Trunks said.

"Come on now.  I will help you to the house.  You will be joining us, right Vegeta?" she said and he nodded.

"Good."  She said with a beaming smile and started for the door dragging Trunks a little behind her.  Trunks looked like he was lost.  He felt like he was home again.

………………………

………………………

………………………

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Trunks just put his head in his hands and stared at the floor.  He could not think of why he had hit Goten.  It was stupid for him to loose his temper on him.  Soyna was the one that slapped him.  He just didn't understand where the outburst come from and he regretted it as soon as he pulled it.

"Well?"

He looked up at Pan.  She was furious at him.  He couldn't blame her either.  Hitting Goten like that was a low blow.  It didn't solve anything but create more problems.  Crystal had yelled at him and flew into her grandmother ChiChi's arms.  Goku had held back Goten, while Gohan held him back.

He felt like a fool.

"Why the hell did you hit me?" Goten said.  "I understand that you are angry at Soyna, but that is no reason to lash out!"

"Oh, so it is alright for her to lash out but not anyone else?" he had said.  That was stupid of him to say.  Gohan was trying to talk him down and Goku was trying to talk down Goten.  They had not listened.

"Since when did you become king?" Goten had growled.

Again, the words he yelled back, he regretted.  "Since she killed my father!"

Oh.  Those were stupid words.  Stupid, stupid, stupid things to say!  Oh.  He had never seen such hatred on his friends face before.  Especially directed at him and that is where it struck.

Bra was weeping in Raymond arms and Raymond looked scared as he watched on.  He remembered want to yell at Bra to stop her blubbering but Goten stopped his words as she shook his arms from his father.  "I am going to go to my wife!"  His words sharp and cutting, his tone meaning, he did not plan on coming back.

"Goten," Goku said and tried to follow him but Goten just shook his head and said.  "I know where I am needed."

Damn.  How could he have been so stupid?

A smack across his already red cheek brought him back to his angry wife.  She was glowering at him.  He wanted to run and hide and forget about what he had just done.

Oh.  What had he done?

………………

Cyrus hardly slept at all.  He kept on having the most horrible dreams that forced him to wake up and even after having a scalding bath and removing all signs of the powder from that silver ball off of his skin, his skin still itched and burned.

He was lathered in cream right now, wish stopped the burning sensation, as long as he didn't move.

He didn't dare tell mom or dad who seemed to be in their own worlds right now.  Dad was ranting something about what Trunks did and was calling him a bastard and a prick.  He thought they were friends?

He didn't want to go to school today.

He really didn't want to go to school today.

"I don't feel well mom," he whinned.  He didn't feel well, but he didn't feel sick really.  He didn't know how to describe how he was feeling.  He just felt different.

"Well, you could take of those layers of clothes and I am sure that you would feel better," she said and tugged on his shirt and pulled it off over his head.  There was a flash of searing pain for a moment but the cool air seemed to make it feel better.

He didn't know why his mother gasped or Dad jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

Not until Flint spoke with a mouthful of toast, "Hey!  When can I get a tattoo like that?"

….

_Short, but I think it was poignant._

_Soyna_


	18. Bliss

Here we go again… Bliss 

Vegeta was enjoying the peace in this time and the less complicated family connections.  It was odd seeing Soyna and Junior again.  They were so young and innocent compared to their counterparts back in his own time.

Soyna was so different in many ways.  She was still strong and vociferous and sometimes came across as harsh.  One of his traits, he had been told.  But she was a lot softer than the Soyna he knew.  It took him a little bit to get over the fact that she was married to that Brennen fellow.  The nervous blond guy that he remembered vaguely glaring at in the other time.  He was around during that Ligh incident.  He did remember the things that Soyna told him and he took an immediate dislike to him.  But this Brennen sure treated her like she was a goddess.  He could see that his son disliked him as well.  But this Soyna, was not yet betrayed.

And from what Trunks told him, she should not be in this time.

He took care of Krad and Ligh and that whole armada: The reason why he was injured.

"She does not know any of that and you will not tell her any of that history," Trunks had said sharply.  "She will not be jaded.  I will have raised one of my families right, so watch what you say."

He nodded and agreed.  He wasn't here to destroy any more family.  He was here to be with Bulma.

He was quite happy and allowed himself to feel that emotion for a change.  They did not ask him why he came anymore.  Bulma must have told Trunks something because they just did not bring it up.

He started a new relationship with all of his grandchildren here.  He had Soyna as a sparing partner again.  She was not as strong as her counterpart but she was as polished as smooth.  She could surprise him at times as well.  He also enjoyed a friendship with his namesake, Boxer and the little Bra.  Boxer immediately wanted to train with him.  "One day, I will beat Soyna and 'Geta!"  he insisted.  "I just have to wait until I get bigger."

Of course, 'Geta would just laugh at him and Soyna would get that crooked smile on her face.

He was happy.

Soyna only threatened him once and it did unnerve him slightly.  "If you hurt grandma," she had said in the heat of a fight, "I will not hold anything back."

It wasn't exactly a death threat but it was close.

It was a month he had spent with his family here.  A whole blissful month when he woke to see Bulma looking at him sadly.

"What?" he said.   He was wondering what he did wrong.

"I love having you back," she said and cuddled close to him.

Where was she going with this?  He held her in his arms.  "Don't you have to go back to your family?  Your real family?"

"I never plan on leaving," he said.

"But what about everyone else?  What about them?  Don't they need you?"  She said and gave him a look that confused him.

"I am with you," he said.  "That is all that matters."

She pulled away from his slightly.  "You have not talked about much of what happened."  She pulled the blankets tightly around her as if she were cold, even though the room was comfortably warm.

"I have no need to."  He said simply.  He did not need too.  He did not want too.  There was no need to bring up those painful issues up here when he was happy again.

She gave him a sad smile.  "How did I die, Vegeta?"  She said in a whisper.  "I want to know and don't you dare try not to tell me.  I have the right to know.  How did I die?"

He looked away from her and closed his eyes and regretted it.  He had seen her in that silk lined coffin, with her skin was so cold… 

He threw the blankets off and began to dress.  He never wanted to remember that image again.

"How did I die, Vegeta?"  Her voice more forceful now, her body looked as if she were tensing up for a fight.

"I was not there," he said as he dressed.  He couldn't even blink without seeing his fingers impressed into the simple stone marker.  The marker that was a painful reminder that he was alone.

"You are still avoiding the question."

"Trunks was there," he said.  It must have been horrible for him.  "And Junior was there for her.  I wasn't."

"What happened?"

He took a deep breath.  "Raymond called it a stroke."

The room was silent.

"There was nothing I could do."  He said and walked out of the room.  He couldn't see her and think of her death at the same time.  It was all very confusing.

………………..

"I am to old to walk you to school!"  Soyna complained.

"Don't complain to me," 'Geta said.  "Talk to our father."  He said and scowled.  He didn't particularly care for the fact that Soyna had to yet again walk him to school.  Just because he skipped a couple of days.

"You are the one that missed, how many was that, two weeks of school."  She hissed at him.  He got it from all angles for that.   Mom, Sis, Grandma, all of them, yelled at him and set his punishment.  Of course he did not divulge what he was doing for those two weeks.  They didn't ask.  They assumed he was goofing off at the arcade or something.  He was planning on showing his big sis how much stronger he was after training with Grandpa Vegeta for two weeks straight.

"It was for a good reason."

"Yeah.  Right," she sniffed.

Boxer was walking just behind them.  He thought it was funny that he was in so much trouble.  He liked the fact that Soyna was not mad at him for a change.

It took quite a bit for sis to get angry with him, but it was going to be worth it.  It was going to be so worth it.

They arrived at Boxer's school and she scurried him off and told him to behave.

He couldn't wait to show her what he could do now.  He was so much stronger now that he had trained with Grandpa Vegeta.  He wanted to be as strong as he was.

"School is important," she said as they walked.  "I don't want to hear about you skipping any more school."  Her voice was stern.  Crisp.  She was a lot like Grandpa Vegeta.  A lot.  Grandma had said that all the time, but now he really saw it.  Dad was not even like this, but she had that commanding voice that you just had to listen too.

"I won't," he said.  

"Training isn't everything," she said as they walked.

Did she know?  How could she?  He stopped walking.

She turned and gave him that crooked smile.  "Are you coming or what?"  she said.

He started again.  She didn't say anything else to him all the way to school other than embarrassing him by walking him directly into the classroom.  Very embarrassing but she didn't say if she knew that he had been training so hard.  Damn.  He wanted to surprise her with his new moves.

He hoped that she was bluffing but knew that was a false hope.  Soyna did not bluff.

………………..

Vegeta smirked.  His son is this time was sure different than he remember.  He was so laid back compared to his OTHER self.  He was playing with Bra who was trying to catch him only to get scooped up into his arms.  He was laughing as he threw her up in the air and pretended that he wasn't going to catch her.

He played with Bra like that.  He remembered those days fondly.  He had never played with his son whimsically.  Never.  It was always training and preparing.

He frowned.  He was never there for his son when he really needed it.  Either of them.

"I'm going to get you daddy!" Bra squealed as she ran towards him.

Trunks just laughed and easily dodged her.

She was laughing so hard that she couldn't keep her balance as she turned and ended up on the lawn, laughing.

Trunks tossed his braid behind his back and swooped to pick her up.

Play.

Simple, innocent play.

He never did that as a child.  He killed rats and destroyed people for fun.  He had to be strong because… he had to please… please…

Damn it.

"So, here you are."

He turned to see Soyna standing there wearing some odd looking clothes.  Those people in he hospitals wore things like them.  The scrubs were the color of her hair and were tied in the middle with a simple string.  They made her look small with her hair all tied up in a neat bun in the back of her head.

She walked towards him and poked a finger in his chest.  "I talked with grandma."

"So."

She frowned deeply and had that flash in her eyes.  "She was rather upset.  She would not talk to me about what was wrong but I am pretty sure that you are the reason."  Her finger stabbed him again.  "Fix the problem.  I do not want her to be upset."  She said simply and then grabbed a bag that resembled a purse and walked past him.  "Make her happy again."

And then she was gone.

Make her happy again.

If only it were that easy.

……………………………

School was over and the once peaceful house was now full of noise.  'Geta immediately asked if they could go outside and train.  "I want to keep up."  He said excitedly.

He was a little hesitant.  The boy had missed a couple of weeks of school because of his need for training.  He didn't mind training the boy.  Junior didn't want to train and would never be as skilled as this boy.  Junior had so many disadvantages to curb his training… but 'Geta.  He was willing and strong and eager.

He was more than happy to help him learn.

"I don't think so."

Soyna.  Was she always this good at sneaking into a room?

"But sis," he whined.

"Homework.  Now."

"You know, you are not my mother!"

"I know.  I'm your sister," she said.  "I can hurt you if I want too.  That is part of the job description."

He humped and stormed away with stamping feet.  She smiled and watched him go and then turned to him.  "I need to give off some steam."  She nodded her head towards the door.

He smiled.  He so enjoyed having his sparing partner back.

……………..

She was sluggish and slow today.  She looked frustrated as well.  She looked angry too that she wasn't able to match his speed.  He could see that look on her face as she was panting and staring at him with flames in her eyes.

"Come on," he growled and invited an attack.

She gave out a scream and lunged.

She could not connect.  He did though and sent her into the ground with more force than he intended too.  He sometimes forgot that she was not as resilient as he other self.

"I think we are done," he said.  "You are not concentrating."

She lay there on the ground panting and glaring at him.  "Can't get my power up," she said and he helped her up from the ground.  "Just a long day.  I'll get you tomorrow."

He just shook his head and looked up at the window and saw the eager face of 'Geta looking down at them.  But more importantly, it was the sad smile on Bulma's face from the kitchen.  She must have been watching them spar.  He had not talked to her all day.  He had not meant to avoid her but he could not talk about her death.  It was still too hard for him.  He knew that he could not avoid it all together.

……………………………….

Trunks had never felt so relaxed and at peace than he felt right now.  No worries at all haunted him.  He played with his daughter and took her to the park.  He met his wife at work and had lunch with her.  He helped his mother in the lab for a bit.

The world was at peace and everything seemed so perfect.

He thought nothing could destroy his peaceful day.

Of course, he tried to push back that piece of doubt in the back of his head as his mother looked kind of sad today and the fact that Soyna lost so easily in a sparing match with him.

Seeing Vegeta brought back thoughts of how things went in the other time.  Thought that he did not want to think of again.

He didn't know why, today of all days he was thinking of how different things could get with you meddle with time.

He had come back for mom.  No other explanation was given.  For mom.  But what did that mean happened in the other time.  Mom wouldn't talk about it and it was like getting blood from a stone from Vegeta.

He sighed heavily and looked over to his wife and littlest girl, Bra.  He wanted to get that bliss back.  He didn't need to worry about all that other stuff.  Everything was peaceful here now.


	19. Visitors

_I know in the last chapter I did not split it… I did that for the reason of this chapter._

_I will answer a few questions here, but not all._

_That is for later.  This chapter is not split either._

_But I promise you that you will not be disappointed._

Visitors

"But it is my birthday!"  'Geta protested and glared at his father.

"You have to catch up on your school.  You are still behind," Trunks said simply and his eyes wandered on the paper that was in front of him, almost unaware of how mad his son looked.

"If I catch up, can we have my birthday party at the Hut-o-Fun?" he said with even more desperation.

"I don't know," Trunks said and fiddled with the end of his braid.  He really wished he cut his hair already.  He hated it but refrained from lopping it off.  Maybe the next time that they spared.

"Please dad," 'Geta said took the tradition begging pose for a child.  The hands palms pressed firmly together and with his eyes as wide as he could get them.

"Well, maybe a party at home with a few friends…"  'Geta almost jumped for joy.  "…If…"  He held his breath.  "You catch up and catch up quick."

"Oh.  I will dad.  I will!  I promise." 'Geta said and was nearly jumping for joy as he bounded out of the room.

"You have a week!"  Trunks yelled after him and began to shake his head.

Vegeta frowned.

"What?"  Trunks said eyeing him.  "I missed his last birthday."

That was not why he was frowning.  He had not meant to but he was seeing the differences and comparing his sons to each other again.  Just as the night before he found himself comparing the difference between the Bulma's and the Soyna's and even Junior.  He didn't know why those thoughts were flooding back to him.

He was supposed to be happy here.

He had everything that he could possibly want.

He had his wife back.

That nagging thought that he couldn't grasp was present in the back of his mind again.  It had been pressing there for the last couple of days and it was really starting to irritate him.  Soyna was to busy with this nursing things to spar with right now.  He actually thought she was mad that she lost so badly the last time they fought together and 'Geta wasn't allowed to spar until he caught up in school and Trunks… just wasn't the right one.

He sighed and walked from the room.

What caused his bubble to burst?  Why did he feel so gloomy again?

That feeling came again.  It was like someone was staring at him.  He rubbed the back of his neck but the feeling was persistent.  He started to walk to the only place where he didn't get that feeling as much.  That was by Bulma.

………………

Trunks just about followed his dad but decided against it.  He obviously had to work it out on his own.  Dad was never one to ask the help of other anyway.  Plus, he had other things to worry about.

He had a long day of playing with his littlest girl and planning the surprise birthday party that he was putting together for 'Geta.  He owed the boy a good party.  He missed his tenth.  That was a big milestone and he nearly missed a whole year of his life.  He had hoped that it wouldn't take that long to finish the mission that he had to do, but he didn't have a choice.  He had to get rid of him.  He was going to be eleven now.  Eleven!  He was nearly a teenager!  A teenager!  He could hardly believe that.  He knew that his boy would grow up to be a handsome and strong man and as hopefully as nice as the other from the other time.

He hoped he had not jinxed that.

…………………..

"How about that Daddy?  I am sure that he would like it.  It _is _his favorite TV show," Bra said and held up the figurine.  The character was sure odd looking but then… he sure encountered some weird looking characters in his lifetime.

"You sure?" He said and examined it further.  He just shook his head.  The character looked like a pink marshmallow.  Who would be scared of that?

"Uh-huh!" she said and shook her head.  "Oh!  OH!  And this one!  This guy is so cute," she said and held up a figurine of some guy that looked liked he was fused with a cat.  He really had to watch some of these cartoon's the kids were watching.

"I think you like that one more than your brother would," he said.

"Well, can we get him anyway?"  she said and batted her eyes at him and he knew that it was better not to fight it.  It was just too hard.

He picked it out of his daughter's hand and she put on the widest grin.  When did he become such a sucker?  

"What else can we get him?  Does he know yet?" Bra said as she bounded around the toy isle.  "Oh!  I want that for my birthday."  And "What about this?"  Is what was mainly said.

Who ever thought that he could feel so free and happy watching his little girl happily walking down a toy aisle at the store?  He smiled to himself and announced that they had to go to other places before the end of the day.

He did not remember doing stuff like this with Soyna.  When she was young, he had started to train her.  Cities were there.  He could have taken her shopping like this, but he had not known what being raised with the strong will to fight could do to her.  She never played with toys or dolls.  She never even asked for that kind of stuff.  She would just want to learn how to get better with her training and skill.

It was a hard thing to change once he knew but he was glad that she was acting more _normal_ now.  She was working on her new career!  He was so pleased to hear that she didn't want to just fight and even more thrilled when she wanted to remove her tail.  It was a shock.  He had never thought of removing it.  It was just part of her.  None of his other children had a tail.  He wondered why?  Oh well.  It didn't matter anymore.  He had a _normal_ family now.  As _normal_ as his family could ever be.

He regretted treating her like a training partner when she was so young, but then, that was all he knew.  That was the only way he knew how to treat his only child at that time.  He was glad that he was able to move past that stage in his life as well.

He would be missing all the fun that he was having with his children.

"Daddy?"  Her joyful voice didn't seem so bright anymore.

He looked down at her.  She didn't look upset.  "What is it?"

"I didn't say anything," Bra said and went back to examining the bag of toys that he had just purchased.  Most likely looking for that cat fused man figure thing that she liked.  It must have been one of the other kids that were about, even though he didn't see one close and he couldn't imagine one of them sounding so much like his daughter.

He shrugged it off and kept on going.  He had a lot to do today.  He really wanted to surprise his son.

"Is that you?"

He looked behind him.  He knew now that the voice was not coming from Bra but from a woman with long blond hair that was standing right behind him.  She was staring at him with an intensity that made him really uncomfortable.  So much so that he had to take a step from her.  "Excuse me?"

Her green eyes watered and she let out a cry and threw herself at him.

…………………….

He had gotten shooed out of the lab.  Bulma had got mad at him for hovering and breaking things.  He didn't know that that rod was actually glass.  How the hell was he supposed to know?  She should not have left it there anyway!

He sighed heavily as he walked into the house to a sight that he didn't want to see.

Brennen blushed and yammered something about how he was going to be late for work.  Soyna just smiled and wished him a good day and then went back to the papers that were spread in front of her.  He didn't remember Soyna ever blushing.  She must have blushed a few times.

At least she was happy.  He had actually warmed up to this Brennen.  Maybe he was a good choice for her after all.

"Oh, Vegeta," Soyna said.  All the other children called him grandpa.  She refused to and called him Vegeta.  It was the same in the other time too.

He turned.  "I see that you are bored," she said.

What was she getting too?

"It is a shame that you lost 'Geta as your sparing partner, now isn't it?" she said.

Damn.  He thought he kept that away from everyone.  'Geta wanted to surprise everyone with his new strength.

"I won't tell dad if you tell me something," she said.  "Dad would be quite upset at you for taking his son out of school.  He has become quite stringent about that."

He could care less but he could see where this was going now.

"You and Dad whisper about things and so do you and Grandma and you always stop when I come in the room.  I have heard my name in those whispers and I want to know why.  I don't want to have another argument with dad about why he left to fight.  I want you to tell me."  She said tapping a pen on her teeth.

"I can't tell you."  He said simply.

The pen snapped in her hands and she was unaware of the ink running down her hand and onto the papers in front of her.  Her eyes flashed in anger and she looked like she wanted to lunge at him.

"Why am I being left in the dark?"  Her voice was an angry hiss.  "Why can't I be told?"

"It is better if you don't know," He said.  He agreed with his son in not telling her.  She did not need to know.  The story was long and construed and could only hurt her.  He started to turn to leave.

"Why?" she said. "Why is it better to be in the dark?  I thought it was always better to learn and be in the light?"  She was busy wiping that blue ink off her hands and scowling.

"We don't want to see you hurt," he said in a whisper.  He could not look at her anymore.  He could not.  He remembered how she looked when she threatened his life and how cold that voice had become.  He remembered when she turned into that beast that just not seem to fit into any normal transformation scale; a beast that was full of anger and hate and had nearly succeeded in killing him.  He did not want to see her like that again.  She was so much better off not knowing.  She did not need the ache.

"Hurt?  It hurt when dad left and did not tell me why!  I hurt when dad will not trust me with this mysterious knowledge that does involve me!  It hurts me!"  She said  "I am not a child."

He looked over to her for a brief second and then turned away.  "No.  We know that."  He said and looked at the floor again.  "You should still be one though."

……………………………….

The woman was sobbing into his chest and was clutching him rather tightly and calling him dad.

"Excuse me, uh, miss," Trunks said and tried to pry her off of him.  Why would she think that he was her father?  He didn't want to know.  He just wanted her off of him and quit making a scene outside the busy mall.  "I think you are mistaken."

"Dad?"  That was from Bra who was looking rather confused at him.  Great.  He did not want to have to try to explain this to her and then he would hear it from Carmen as well.

"Miss!"  he said and was a big more forceful and pulled her off his chest and firmly but his hand on her shoulders. "I think you have the wrong guy."

She shook her head.  "No.  It's you," She said and tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Do I have another sister?"  Bra said with great confusion in her voice.

"No." he said to her quickly.  "Miss.  Please.  You are mistaken.  I can't be your father," he said.  Well technically she looked like she could be.  She was about Soyna's age from what he saw.  She was also a very buxom woman and that in itself made him uncomfortable.

She sniffed and hung her head down for a second and wiped her eyes.  He let go of her shoulders and she took a step back.

A guy suddenly ran over.  He was a talk guy with short spiky blond hair and green eyes with a strange mixture of anger and worry on his face.  "Oh.  Real sorry.  She is not that well, sir.  Sorry."  He looked like he was trying to drag her off.

"Not well!"  the woman recovered quickly and slapped the man with enough force that there was a hand mark on his cheek.  "NOT WELL!"

"Hey!"  he snapped at her and then he muttered something under his breath to her that he couldn't make out.  He was worried about the little girl that was attached to his leg now.

"But…"  the woman said and straightened herself up.  She pushed back some of her hair and sniffed and looked back at him and then at the man who looked anxious to go.

"Come on," the man said.  "This isn't the way to do it."  His voice was hushed still.  He supposed he wasn't supposed to hear that.

"Why not?" she hissed back in a same low voice.

They guy whispered something that he couldn't make out at all. 

"Screw that!"  She hissed loudly.  "They are my…Hey!"

He grabbed her arm and started to pull her along.  Her feet dug into the ground and were leaving trails  "Let go of my arm, you brute!"  She yelled and struck him.  Hard.  The guy ended up on the ground with a groan.

"Damn you!" The guy said and rubbed the spot in his ribs that she hit.  "You are going to screw everything up!"

"Me!  HA!"  She said with a laugh.  "You are the screw up!"

The guy's face went red as he stood.  "You are such… You are such a… a… a…"

"Come on say it!  WIMP!"  She taunted.

"Bitch!"  The guy finally snapped at her.

"Wimp!"  She countered right back at him.

It was like watching an accident.  You just can't turn away.  You have to see what will happen next.  Bra gave a little giggle as the insults continued to fly between the two of them.  He knew that he should be walking away from these two crazy people but he just stood there watching them point their fingers at each other and throw insults.  It was the oddest thing.

They were creating quite a scene.

"Why should we hide?"  She said.  "What good has that done us?"  She said and looked at him and he really regretted not leaving.  He did not want to be dragged into this craziness.  He had his chance and he lost it!  Damn it.  "He could help us."  She said and started to walk towards him.

"We don't know what will happen if…"

"Exactly!"  she said.  "Dad can help us!"

He was about to protest that comment but that guy did it.

"He is NOT your father!"  he yelled.

"He is close enough!  Isn't that one of your lines."  she snapped back.

Close enough?  "What the hell?" he whispered.

Bra giggled.  "You guys are funny," she said.

They guy looked flustered.  "That is a low blow."  His shoulders slumped and he almost had a defeated look.  He looked… he hated to admit this, but the guy looked familiar now and so did the woman.  He had seen them before, somewhere, but he couldn't remember where.

"I think it was about right, Benot," she said.

"Benot!"  he gasped.  That was Benot!  BENOT!  How old was he now?  When he last saw the boy, he was so young!  A playful child still.   He looked like an adult now and the yellow hair.  He finally got to supersaiyian.  How come he couldn't feel the power?  You should be able to feel the power coming off of him.

"You said my name!"  Benot hissed at the woman.  "I'm supposed to be Tobe here!  Tobe!  Crystal!"

Crystal!  His doppelganger's daughter! This was the shy little girl that wouldn't leave his side.  This was Crystal.  She was a woman in more than one way.  She was tall, thin and very curvy, especially in the northern regions and her hair was blonde as well!  How did she get to supersaiyian?

"Hey!" She snapped.

He just gawked at them for a bit as they continued to argue.

"What are you two doing here?" he said in a loud voice to go above their yelling.  "Why are you here?  Is this about Vegeta?"

"Grandpa?  Is he here?"  Crystal said.

Benot put his hands over his face.

"Yeah.  He is at home," he said.

They both looked at him shocked.

 Crystal spoke in a soft voice that he remembered from her.  "Grandma, I mean, your mom, is she still alive?"

"Of course Grandma is still alive," Bra said announcing herself.  "That was stupid question to ask.  Grandpa's been here for about two months.  He makes grandma happy."

"Time travel is a complicated thing," Benot said.

Trunks put his hand to his head.  He felt a headache coming on.  A really bad one.

"Time travel?  Cool?  Grandma talks about her time machine, but she won't let me see it," Bra said.  "What time do you come from?"  Bra.  Not afraid of anything.

"You will both come back with me and tell me all that has happened and why you are here?  Is there anyone else?"  he said.  He hoped that these two kids weren't on their own traveling time.

"Yeah," Benot said.  "We will have to go get him.  He is not very well.  I will go get him.  Crystal can start telling you all of what happened.  I am sure that Vegeta told you nothing."

"It isn't his fault," Crystal said getting defensive again.

"I'll go.  I am assuming that you all still live in the old Capsule Corp. house," Benot said and he nodded.  
  


"Benot.  Don't be that way," Crystal said as he started to walk away.  He didn't respond.  "Damn it!  Quit acting like your mother!"

He watched Benot walk away and was a bit startled to find that Crystal had looped her arm in his.  "Shall we go?  We should get acquainted again."


	20. Out of the Bag

Enjoy… More angst… did you think that this story 

_Was going to go this way?  _

Out of the Bag

Carmen had never been so stunned in her life.

Bra had come running into the house, yelling.  "MOM!  MOM!"  She just thought that Trunks bought her a new toy that she was eager to show off.  She was so excitable about those types of things.

"Guess what?  I have a new sister!"

She had blinked a few time and then laughed.  "Don't be silly dear."  Four children were enough for her that was for certain.  She had no intention of having any further.

"But I do mom!  She is so cool!  She is so tall and she is pretty!  Come on, mom!"  She said and led her into the other room.  She thought her little girl had lost her mind or had one to many sugary snacks throughout the day.  Trunks gave in to her way to easily sometimes.

Of course when she did she the tall blonde woman clinging to the arm of her husband in their living room and he had that blush on his face.  That blush that she had always thought was so cute when he first met him.

That blush sure wasn't that cute now.

The woman was one of those model type women with the big tits and small hips. She was wearing rather snug clothes and her belly was exposed.  She knew she was good looking and was not afraid to show it off and the way her hair looked like it didn't move, it probably took her a couple of hours to get it to look that way and what the hell was she doing clinging to the arm of HER husband.

"Woah," the woman said.  "Soyna sure looks a lot older than I remember."

"No… that's…"  It looked like he was trying to explain something to the blonde and then gave up.  "Carmen.  I can explain this.  Don't be mad," he said and pulled his arm off the girl.

"Carmen?"  The woman put a long nailed finger on her chin and tapped it there.  It was painted purple.  "I don't remember that name."

"She is my wife Crystal," Trunks snapped at her and then looked to her.  He was trying to put on those puppy dog eyes that usually caused her to melt.  Not this time.  Defiantly not this time.

"Wife?"  Crystal said.  "That's not mom."  
  


"What?"  Carmen yelled.  "Trunks!  Do you have some explaining to do?  What the hell is she talking about?"

"See mom," Bra said with a smile.  "I have a new sister."

…………………………..

Benot frowned as he walked into the place they hid him.  It was not what he wanted for him but they did not have money for a hotel and plus, people would have noticed him and they had been _TRYING_ to avoid notice.

He held his anger down.  Crystal was so hot headed!  She just lunged into things and this was not going to turn out good.  He knew it was going to turn out bad.  He knew that Vegeta would be there.  Where else would he be if he were in this time, but then, he wasn't too sure what dimension he was in this time.  It was nice to hear that Grandma was alive but he still didn't know _WHEN_ they were.  Did they find the right one?  It didn't work last time and he knew that their time was running out.

He realized then that he was empty handed.  All the stuff that they had bought that ate up the last of their money.  The clothes and the food for him were gone.  He left the bags near the edge of the building.  He hoped that Crystal had enough sense in her brain to have grabbed that stuff.  Another reason for him to control his temper, she most likely forgot being so wound up in Trunks and all.

He had powered down and no longer had the blond hair and green eyes.  Crystal preferred to stay in the form now.  He didn't like it.  But it did prevent people from recognizing him in the past and her.  Of course, Crystal hadn't blatantly blown their cover before either.  They weren't supposed to let them know that there were here!  Just in case it wasn't going to work here and they had to move on.  There was no point contaminated the time line and making it even harder for them all.

But of course, if Vegeta was really here, then the time line was already contaminated anyway.  Maybe it was the spot that could help them fix everything.

He hated this time travel stuff.  It was a real pain in the ass.

Nothing really made much sense.

He sighed as he walked around an old building.  There was an old house around the corner that they broke into.  It looked as if it was vacated for a long time with boarded up windows and doors.

Hopefully he was still asleep in the basement.  He had hoped to find a warmer place for him, but they had wrapped him in all the blankets that they had and hoped it would do.

He still needed time to recover from their last attempt.

He easily slid into the basement window to tell him all that had happened.

………………………………………

Soyna had never heard her mother sound so angry before in all her life or look so angry.  Of course, she had never seen her father looked so cowed either.  He was stammering over words that didn't make much sense.

"Yeah.  Right!  I am supposed to believe that pile!"  She said.  That was the closest to swearing she had ever heard her mother say.  She must have been very furious.  What did dad do?  Oh.  That question was answered when she turned the corner and saw a tall blonde woman standing there looking on with great curiosity.  Who was she?  She was obviously the center of the argument.  Bra seemed to be enjoying watching mom and dad fight.  She was sitting on the couch with a big smile.

"What is going on here?"  She said and announced herself.

Mom spoke up first.  "Soyna dear.  I would like you to meet your new sister.  I believe her name is Crystal."

She stood there stunned.  Sister?  Her?  What?  She looked at the woman.  "Hi," the blonde said with a smile.  She looked to her father.  The woman looked younger than her.  Not by much but a bit… that would mean…

"Father!  Explain yourself," She snapped at him.  "Is this part of what you have been hiding?"

"Yes.. No, it's not like that!  Soyna!  Carmen.  Calm down.  We need to sit down so I can explain this all to you."

"Darn rights you need to explain," Mom said in a stern voice.  Wow.  There was a temper in there.  Soyna struggled hard to keep her own temper in check.

"It really isn't a bad thing," Crystal said and sat on the couch.  "It is just… I got caught up in some old memories," her voice grew sad and looked down at her lap and seemed to be examining her purple nails.  "I got carried away with my emotions, I'm afraid."

All eyes then turned to Dad.  Standing there, looking very uncomfortable and on edge, his own eyes darting around the room.

"Please.  Sit down and I will explain all this to you.  Please," Dad said.  "It is going to take awhile."

"What have you been hiding from me?"  Mom said and she was nearly in tears.  "How long have you been keeping secrets from me?"  Tears did break out of her eyes.  She went to comfort her mother and glared at her father.

He better have a damn good explanation for this!

…………………………….…

He had been startled out of his sleep by the sharp voices in the other room.  He didn't even realize that he had fallen asleep.  That kind of bothered him a bit but the curiosity of the voices drew him in.

"Dad!"  Trunks said and sounded like he was being rescued.  Carmen was crying and Soyna was comforting her and Bra was also there beside her mother and looked confused as to why she was crying.

His eyes went to the blond woman that sat on the couch and was staring at her lap.  A very pretty blonde woman that somewhat reminded him of Bulma's mother.  "Who the hell is she?"

The woman looked up and with a big smile and laugh she almost lunged herself at him. "Grandpa!"  Grandpa?  She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely.  She was so strong!  He shook her off and examined her closer.  She did have a look that was familiar but he couldn't place it.  "It's me.  Crystal."

"Crystal?"  This woman was Crystal?  That little girl that he left behind even after she pleaded with him not to leave?  Crystal?  With yellow hair?  He was so stunned!  
  


"I am all grown up now."  She said with a smile.  "I missed you!  I told you not to leave."  Her voice becoming stern at the end and a pointy finger dug into his chest.  "You should have listened to me!"

Well.  She certainly grew out of that shy stage.

"What are you doing here?"  He was finally able to ask.  How much time had passed in the other time?  How old was she?  She certainly looked to be in her twenties.  A young woman in her prime now and with yellow hair!  "And what the hell is this?" He said and pointed her hair.  "Stop that silliness."

"Oh.  Alright grandpa," she said and gave out a sigh and her hair feel into long purple waves and he was shocked at how much she looked like his son and in a good way.  She swept her hair back that fell in front of her face.  "That better grandpa."

"Much," he said.

That was when he noticed that Carmen had fainted and it looked like Soyna was confused and angry at the same time.  Trunks attended to his fallen wife.

"She is from your time?" Soyna asked.  She didn't look as angry as she was when he entered the room.

He nodded and looked to Crystal.  "You still have not explained yourself."  He said.  "Why are you here?"

She gave him a sad smile, a look that he had seen the _OTHER_ Soyna give all the time, and in a low voice said.  "I think we should wait for Tobe to get here."

"Tobe?  Who the hell is Tobe?"  Great.  Was that another kid?

She gave a little look to Soyna and then back at him.  "You know.  Tobe.  He will be here soon."

He would figure it out when the kid got here.  She spoke as if she should know him.

"I think Trunks should start explaining to his family about the other time," Crystal said.  "And I am sure that you explained nothing either," she said and playfully tapped his arm and then had to move her hair out of her eyes again, like she had always done as a child.

Soyna took a seat in a chair and crossed her arms.  She sat and waited for Trunks to help Carmen to the couch and then in a firm voice.  "Start talking.  No more secrets Dad.  Vegeta.  Tell me all that happened and why you are all here."

Carmen just looked drained and had moved a bit away from her husband upon looking at Crystal.  It was amazing at how much she looked like Trunks.  

………………………………………

Trunks started.

"When you went to visit your parents when Soyna was six we had a visitor from the other time line.  I know I have not talked to you about that time line.  It was so hard for me to bring that up and after… well, I didn't want to burden you all with that knowledge."  He sighed heavily.  "The visitor was you: Soyna."  She gasped but at least remained quiet.  "A much older and badly hurt you that fell out of the sky.  Mom and I nursed you back to heath and… she told me what had happened.  She told me about the enemies and some other important things.  She was so jaded.  She was so different that my little girl."  Trunks looked like he was going to start to cry.  He looked as if he had been carrying this burden for quite awhile. 

"I had failed our whole family," Trunks whispered.  "I did not want to tell you of my failure.  I just had to fix it all and I had thought that I had to use the second chance.  You all did not need to know about the failure."

"Failure?"  Soyna said.  "What are you talking about?  And how could I be from their time?  I don't understand."  Her voice was curt and strained.

Trunks gulped.

He thought he should save his son a bit of this torture.  "Krad attacked you in this time.  He tricked all of you in thinking that you were friends.  He killed your father and tried to finish the rest of you all off because you rejected him as well."  Vegeta said seeing Soyna go pale.  "Bulma threw you and Junior- 'Geta – into the time machine and sent you to our time.  That is how you got there."

The room was quiet.

There was no point in mentioning the betrayal of Brennen and that fact that she was pregnant with twin boys.  He still remembered very vividly pulling both her and Junior out of that ruined time capsule when they arrived.  They would have been killed if he had not been there.  They were so sick and she was so large and obviously in the throws of labor.

She didn't need to know everything.

"I left to fight Krad," Trunks said.  "I left so that you would not have to face him.  I did not want to chance his winning.  I did not want to fail you all again."

The room was silent for a moment and then Carmen spoke.  "But then, who is she?"  She pointed to Crystal who was sitting solemnly now.

"Trunks' _other_ self married another and I am the result of that.  When I saw him, I just lost control.  I miss dad so much."  Her voice was so thick with sadness.  What happened to his son?  "I am sorry for causing such a scene."

Carmen just blinked and smiled to her husband with a relieved look on her face.  The same type of look that Pan got when Marron had yelled at her that she was in love with Junior and not Trunks.  Trunks looked relieved as well.

He heard a shocked yell coming from outside.  It sounded like Bulma.  The stories would have to wait.

……………………………..

Bulma looked at her watch and then at the broken cathode rod.  She smiled.  It was kind of cute that Vegeta wanted to spend all sorts of time with her but she just wasn't used to that.

It was almost adorable how he slunk out after she yelled at him instead of yelling back.  It was nearly noon now.  Trunks should be back from shopping with an armload of stuff, especially if he took Bra.  He gave into her way to easily at times.  She could make lunch and then give Vegeta some attention.  He has been acting rather despondent lately.  Of course, he acted that way when she tried to talk to him about the _other_ time and her _other_ self.  Or even when she asked how the _other_ Soyna was doing.

He just needed time.  Vegeta always just needed time.

She turned her mind to simple thought of what she was going to cook for lunch and what she was going to bake to get ready for 'Geta's birthday party that they had planned.

Of course seeing two strangers that _could fly_ land her yard startled her quite a bit.  She did not know what that Krad fellow looked like and had never had even bothered to ask for she thought that Trunks had taken care of that, but she knew all to well, that enemies seemed to rise from the ashes of their defeat and be even worse off than before.

She could help but let a scream out.

They both turned to her with large shocked eyes.  The bigger of the two, that she just realized was injured, lost his grip on the smaller one and fell to the ground in a painful sounding groan.

The smaller of the two looked like Trunks.  Quite a bit like Trunks actually, except he was young and his hair was cut neater.  He also was a bit leaner looking than she remembered her son ever being.

The other guy was huge and seemed to be having trouble breathing.  He had a hand to his chest and was making an awful wheezing noise.  His whole body seemed to shake with each breath he took.  He kept his head down and his dark hair flopped into his face.  It sort of looked green but it almost was black.

"Don't scare me like that!"  The one that looked-like-Trunks-but-wasn't-Trunks said.

"Don't scare you!"  She snapped at him.  The youth of today, no respect!  "You fall out of the sky and you expect me to say Hi, how's it going?  Who the hell are you two?"

But before an answer came, Vegeta was in front of her in that classic defensive pose and his hair was yellow, ready to protect her and then a strange woman appeared beside the guy that looked-like-Trunks-but-wasn't-Trunks who had long blond hair and a rather snug outfit.

She just sighed as she knew that this was going to make the day very long.

…………………………………

Cyrus looked up and saw Vegeta standing in front of Bulma.  He smiled briefly but the pain in his chest stopped that.  He hated it when he was weak like this.  He didn't like it at all after how far he had come to be thrown down by a simple asthma attack!  Well, he knew that there was nothing simple about his asthma attack's anymore, but it was easier to think of it them that way.

Crystal appeared right beside Benot and the arguing began. 

"Do you have his medicine?" Benot snapped at her right away.  He chose to ignore Vegeta.

"Medicine?"  She said.

"You know.  Puff.  Puff!"  Benot growled at her.  He did not know why those two always fought with each other the way they did.  It sometimes was funny but he didn't need to hear this right now.  He needed an inhaler.

"Oh my!"  Crystal said.  "I forgot!"

"Forgot!"  Benot sniffed.  "How could you forget?"

"You went to go get him.  I thought you grabbed the stuff!"  She snapped right back.

"You were to busy mooning over Trunks!"  He growled at her.

"Oh, Mister touchy!  Who was the one that stormed away from me?"  Crystal growled.  He was forgotten again as they argued.

He had heard enough from them.  You would never know that he was the youngest of them.  They certainly could act rather childish.  "Enough," he gasped and the word hurt as he spoke it.  Everything would hurt for a while yet.  "Help – me –"  he gasped as he spoke and his chest felt like it was going to start on fire and of course, his arm had to start twitching as well.  Damn it.  

They blinked at him.  It was Bulma that was by his side, with a hand on his back and telling him to take a deep slow breath.  She suddenly was barking orders and people were listening to her.  Vegeta stood there looking at him with a stunned look on his face.  He must have recognized him finally.  He probably saw the scar that he put on his cheek, still there, and as large as life.  The scar that started it all.

But he didn't focus on Bulma or Vegeta for long.  He saw mom –Soyna looking at the odd scene and suddenly she was beside him to and it took all his strength not to grab and hug her.  She had something in her hand and she placed it on his mouth.  An inhaler!  He took a deep puff and felt the fire leaving.  He then saw that she had a black bag that looked similar to the one that Raymond used to carry around.

"Is that better?"  A younger mom.  A softer voice.  He wasn't able to speak.  He just nodded his head to her and struggled to his feet.  His arm twitched and he grabbed it and held it to his side.  He had to get his strength back so he could control himself.

"Who are you?"  she asked with that quiet directness that mom always had.  Not quite an order but a question that should be answered.

Crystal cut in.  "That is Cyrus and this is Tobe," she said swiftly.  Benot glared at her but didn't correct her.  He hated using that name but with mom standing right I front of him and no signs of the fact that she had her first children yet, it was better to use the false name.  It seemed that she got to use her real name here as well.  It didn't matter for him.  He always got to use his name.

"We can deal with all that stuff later," Bulma said.  "This boy needs to get his rest.  He is obviously injured!  Quit all this milling around and let's get him inside.  He needs to have a warm bath and some rest.  And call Raymond will you, Soyna."

He looked back to Vegeta and he was standing there looking as if he were a child that just got scolded even though nothing had been said to him.  But he knew what that look meant.

Vegeta was never one to talk about things if he didn't think that they were necessary.  He most likely did not tell them about how he lost control and had attacked him.  The youngest son of Soyna and Goten.  He could tell that Vegeta didn't tell.

The cat was now out of the bag.

They would know now.  They would have to be told for them to understand what had to be done.

He felt his hand go to the scar and saw Vegeta flinch.

Benot was helping him into the house and Bulma was giving directions.  He had to remember to call him Tobe.  Mom had gone off, most likely to get Raymond.  Another familiar face that would be good to see as he recovered.

His arm continued to twitch and he held it tighter.   The quicker he got better, the better off they all would be.

……………………


	21. Time to Talk

Sorry for the delay – flu, writers block, and job interviews.

Time to Talk

Cyrus thought he was dreaming.

It was just like when he was four years old and had that bad asthma attack.  He didn't remember the attack itself but he remembered the aftermath of it.  Mom had told him that he had stopped breathing after he woke up.

She was in the room, with his inhaler loosely held in her hand, sleeping in the chair beside him.  She looked like she was ready to pounce, just in case.  Even though he had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and was covered with heavy blankets.

But the woman in the chair wasn't asleep, nor was she his real mother.

She was sitting there silently thumbing through a book that she was intently reading.  He just stared at her for a bit.  It had been so long since he had seen his mother and this version of her was so similar, yet so different at the same time.

She was so much younger looking.  He never thought his mother looked old, but worry defiantly aged his mother.  She just looked so much happier than he ever remembered his mother being.

Of course, this Soyna, did not live though such anguish yet.

This Soyna was not in such turmoil.  Even her hair showed that.  It did not look as wild or out of control like moms always had.  Everything about this Soyna was calmer.  It was tied back in a neat ponytail that made her look so young.  She reminded him of how Flare had looked.

Her eyes turned to him and there was a soft smile on her lips, "Your awake.  How are you feeling?"  She closed the book and put the inhaler down on the end table.  "You gave your brother quite a scare."

He removed the oxygen mask from his face and struggled out of the pile of blankets that covered him.

He felt her hand on his shoulder.  "You should still rest," she said.  "Your whole body is like it is in a state of shock."  He obeyed and lay back down.  He could feel that he was dressed in new clothes under the blankets.  He wondered if anyone saw the markings?  He would have to ask Benot_(… Tobe… his name was Tobe here_.)  He touched his arm and felt bandages there.  Did it get torn?  He hoped not.  That would not be a good sign.  "I will go get your brother."  She said and left the room.

He watched her leave and then pulled back the covers to look at his arm.  Last time it was his foot and the time before that it was his hand.  He could see that it was wrapped in a tight bandage and there was blood spotting it.  He felt a terrible feeling in his stomach.

The door opened and Benot(Tobe) came into the room with a large sandwich in his hands and a mouthful of it as he spoke, "How's it going?"  He said and then finally swallowed.  "You had me worried.  You have been out for three days."  His eyes went to his arm and that smile left his mouth and his serious older brother returned.  "How is your arm?"  His voice was stern and cold.  A little bit scared too.

"It feels like he chewed on it," He said and looked at the blood spots.

"It looked like it too," Benot(Tobe) said.  "Has he been talking to you?"

It wasn't like Shelong talked to him.  He told Benot (Tobe) that once because he did not know how else to describe what he was feeling or what was happening to him.  It wasn't quite like having another voice but it was like having another memory.  It was hard for him to understand sometimes.  He was no longer scared by it but he still had nightmares of the time that he first started feeling that way.  It was strange when the old memories that were not his own floated to the surface.

Being cold was a big part of it.

He remembered being cold and the layers of clothes did make him feel so much better.  He thought he just felt bad because of all that was happening around them.  He never thought for a moment that he was anything more then nervous.

Of course, when mom pulled him out of the layers of clothes and saw the shocked looks on their faces.  It was just on his back at first.  The markings of the dragon and a shiny tattoo that shone there.  Flint thought it was the best thing that he had ever seen and was mad when mom told him no.  Mom had looked so pale and she nearly swooned.  That was more than he ever seen her do.  Mom was not the type of person to faint.  It scared him.  It scared him even more when she started apologizing constantly to him and looking on the verge of tears.  It was not a good look for mom.

"Hey!"  Benot(Tobe) said sharply and snapped his fingers in front of his face.  "Yohoo!  Anyone home?"

"I am just cold still," he said.  It wasn't a lie.  It was like there was a big chunk of ice sitting in his gut, but it was getting better.  His arm was aching but it wasn't going to get away from him anymore.  "And I am hungry," he added noting the half eaten sandwich that was sitting by the inhaler.

"Oh.  Yeah.  Well," Benot said with a crooked smile.  "It has been a long time since I have had home cooking.  I drank your soup.  I didn't think you would be awake.  Do you want me to get you more?"  He spoke quickly.

"I haven't eaten in three days and you eat my food?"  Cyrus shook his head.  His brother sure could think with his stomach sometimes.

"But _She_ made it!"  Benot said  (He really had to remember his name was Tobe here) and then in a whisper.  "You know how much I miss mom's cooking."

He understood but… "It's a sandwich!"  he said.

"I'll go get you another one.  Stay warm.  I'll be right back," he said and scurried out the door speaking more apologies, leaving the half eaten sandwich sitting there.  He shrugged and took it.  It was better than nothing and he was starving.

……………………………………….

Cyrus was almost inhaling the sandwich.  So much like his father.

He looked up and smiled from the food.  "Vegeta!"  He said and sounded almost happy to see him, even though he did talk with a mouthful of food.  He really did not think that Cyrus was going to be happy to see him.

He didn't know what all happened in the other time yet.  It was hard enough filling Soyna and the others in on all that happened when he was still there, without much emphasis on her remarriage and the parade of children that were to come.  He was thankful that they did not bring up the topic of why he left.  Or at least the feud that he started.

He knew that was only delaying the inevitable, but any delay was welcomed.  

"I am so glad to see you," he said as he swallowed the food and then cringed and held his stomach.  Benot had showed him the markings.  The tattoo that once graced Kakarott, his mother, now graced him.  "Ate to quickly."  He said and then seemed to shiver.

The others did not have these symptoms.  He would have remembered.

"You feeling better?"  He asked.  What else was he supposed to say?  They had not got to the reason that they had followed him here yet.  And why wasn't he mad at him?  Crystal was.  She was defiantly not that shy little girl that he remembered from the last time.

"I will be in a couple of days.  I hope sooner," he said and suddenly got a worried look on his face.  "I don't recover as well as I used to."

"Recover from what?"

Cyrus just shook his head.  "Like you don't know.  Are we prepared?"  He put his hand on his stomach and he saw a flash of green, the tattoo, on his neck.  The dragon was moving.  The reason that Benot insisted on dressing him in those silly black pajama's with socks and gloves.  He didn't want anyone to see the tattoo-that-wasn't-a-tattoo.

"Prepared for what?"  he said.

"Haven't they told you anything?  I seem to attract enemies now.  I am like a homing beacon instead of a warning device," he said.  "I have been here a week.  The quickest has been 13 days and the slowest was 45 days."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Vegeta said.  Beacon?  Enemies?

Of course, that was when Benot burst in with some more food for Cyrus.  Trunks and Bulma was with him as well.

Cyrus looked as if he was angry.  "Be… Tobe?"  He said in a clam but an undertone of threat.  He got that from his grandmother.

Benot seemed to sense it and immediately put on that goofy smile.

"What have you been doing while I was out?"  he asked.

"Well… we… uh… have… you know…just making sure that you are okay and all," he smiled like a lawyer finding a loophole.

"Uh-huh.  You haven't told Vegeta anything!"  Cyrus said in a voice that almost didn't sound like his.  It was deeper and there defiantly was a dangerous threat in that tone.  Benot snapped to attention at that.

"Well, we were… uh… just … uh…"

"Damn it!  I needed you to tell Vegeta everything.  It was bad enough that Crystal blew her part of it.  How do you plan on being ready?"  He threw the covers back and tried to stand but his legs were wobbly.  He just about collapsed.  He used his bandaged arm to hold himself up and looked as if he held back a scream.

"Ready for what?"  Trunks said.  His whole body looked tense.  Ready to pounce.  Bulma just had a worried look on her face.

Cyrus shook his head and rubbed his arm.  "Where is Crystal anyway?"

"She went shopping with Bra," Bulma said.

"Shopping!"  Cyrus growled and shuttered at the same time.  "What the hell just she doing shopping?"  he stood again and was not any less shaky on his feet but managed to hold himself up.  "We are not here for some sort of vacation!"  He snapped.

He was such a small child but that was defiantly no longer.  He was well over six feet (maybe even close to seven) tall and had a wide set of shoulders and quite a stocky body.  How could such a sickly kid get so big?  Ah, but of course, the dragon was on his skin now, maybe that was part of it as well.  Maybe that was why his hair was darker as well.  He remembered his hair being a bright vibrant green, not this color that was nearing black.

How long had he been away exactly?  How old were they?  He had purposely avoided asking such questions.  He did not want to bring up the fact that he was the one that put the scar on that boy's face.  A scar that he was pretty sure that Raymond said would fade with time.  It still looked as it did the last time that he saw it.

He also did not want to face up to what leaving meant.

It meant that he abandoned his family and since they were here, left then in danger.

"Are we in some sort of danger now?"  Trunks said.  "Is there an enemy following you?"  He looked worried.  He thought he had been protecting his family from attack and look what happened.  He brought more trouble right into their lap.

"We don't know.  That is what Tobe and Crystal were supposed to assess.  I won't be well enough to help if an attack comes for at least another week, a month would be better but that is not how things work around here."  He said and he was obviously shivering.

"Then why are you sure that there is an enemy coming?"  Bulma asked.

Cyrus took a deep breath, "Because they always come.  They are always stronger than the last and this time is more susceptible than the rest.  This time has been peaceful.  They did not have all the enemies that we have had to fight.  They are still threatening!"  He shuttered as he spoke.  "They could be figting anyone from Garlic Jr. to Buu here!"  He said.  Benot grabbed his brother and forced him to sit on the bed.

"I have been watching.  There is no indication of anything like that happening," he said.  "I haven't been a total jerk."

Cyrus did not seem eased.

"Plus, we can't do anything until you get better anyway.  You are still cold.  Eat and crawl under the blankets."  Benot said and tried to pull the blankets over his brother.  He was still sitting in the bed.  "You don't need to worry about it.  I will talk with Vegeta.  Okay.  Eat.  Rest."

Cyrus still looked angrily at his brother but complied and silently went about eating the food that was offered and promised he would crawl back under the blankets once he finished.

They left him and he looked to Benot expectantly

"Well, are you going to talk?" Vegeta snapped as he saw that Bulma and Trunks were not going to say anything.  Trunks seemed to be in deep thought and Bulma just had a worried look on her face.

"I guess I have to, huh?"  He said.

"Yes.  I think so."  Vegeta said.

"What kind of threats could be coming after my family?  What have you brought?"  Trunks said and sounded slightly angry as well.

Benot sighed deeply.  "I was hoping that we wouldn't have to talk about that again.  I wasn't there for a lot of it.  I was kind of gone.  I left."

"What do you mean you left?"

"You weren't there.  When I yelled at mom and called everyone evil creatures from the dark nether regions of the universe.  It was awful.  I don't like thinking about it."  He sighed heavily and sat on the couch.  "I left home and went to live with my dad.  I wanted to leave that all behind.  I wanted to leave everything behind and I know it was selfish, but I just ran.  I didn't want to deal with it."

"Your dad?"  Trunks said with a look of confusion.  "Did Goten and her split up?"

Benot sighed.  "No.  I had ran into Brennen and I longed for a normal life after seeing mom turn into that monster… I didn't want to see that anymore."

"Monster?  What are you talking about?  What do you mean she turned into a monster?  You never talked about that!"  Bulma said.  "What information have you not told us?"  She was getting a little angry and Trunks looked angry as well.

"It was what I did," He said.  He couldn't look at them as he spoke.  "I turned her into a monster."

Vegeta didn't want to tell why he attacked that boy –now man- that lay in the other room and how he started a terrible feud that looked as if it ruined his family.

………………………

"You did that for me?"  Bulma said.  "But you had to know that it wouldn't work.  It was a natural death."  She said and gently touched Vegeta's arm.  She understood now why he did not want to talk of it.  His words were halted and even though he tried not to show much emotion, she could see that he was quite torn.

"I was just thinking of a way to get you back.  I only wanted one more day." he said in a low voice.  "The dragon had brought so much back other times, I thought that since we have helped him out so much that… well."  He stopped talking and stared out he window.

He loved her so much!

But then that love was transferred to her.

"My actions were inexcusable," he said and walked out.  Benot was going to follow but she just shook her head.

"Let him be for awhile," she said.

"But…" Benot said.  "He needs to know what happened after his attack on Cyrus.  After he left us.  Cyrus needs him to know."

Bulma just put a hand on his shoulder and held it there.  "Let him be.  It was obviously painful for him to tell that story."

Trunks spoke in a small voice.  "Soyna wanted him dead and what the hell did she turn into?  It wasn't that oozaru thing was it?  It sounds to small, but was she powerful in that form?"

Benot sighed.  "We don't know what it was really.  We thought about it for a bit but then we had other worries.   We just kind of figured that since she was actually only a quarter saiyian, that she could not reach the full form.  Even though this one was much more awful that seeing a giant monkey."  He said and looked said.  "I blocked out that fight.  It hurt me so much that mom was a …well, there is no other way but to say that she was a monster."

"Tell us what happened after Vegeta left," Bulma said.

He nodded and started to talk.


	22. Talking

22

Talking

'Well, I left.  I went to live with Brennen for a bit and he was happy to take me.  It was a normal family almost.  His girlfriend was really nice and they had a nice apartment together.  I didn't have much room, I just had a tiny room that they had used as a closet but it was my own and I had made myself believe that I was happy without my brothers and sisters.'

'I did not see my mother slap Trunks or the fight that broke out between Trunks and Goten after I left the gathering.  I was so angry and I took it out on mom.  I didn't realize what had happened when Cyrus touched that Silver ball and the so-called warning device.  When Cyrus touched it, it turned to dust and the dust attached itself to Cyrus.  In the morning he woke up with the tattoo.'

'Legen told me at school what happened.  He told me that Trunks and Goten nearly killed each other and Trunks was saying that Soyna had killed Vegeta, which was why they had seen the visions of Vegeta with Bulma.'

'And all I did was shrug and smile and say that I no longer wanted anything to do with my family.  I was happier where I was.'

'I was lying of course.'

'They tried to talk to me.  Brennen even tried to talk to me, but… well, I was scared.  I thought that not facing it would make it all go away.'

'It wasn't until Cyrus showed me the marks on his skin that I started to smarten up.  You have no idea how scary it was seeing that small five-year-old boy with that dragon crawling on his skin.  It shocked me out of my stupor.  He wanted his older brother back and I had always been the one to watch over him.'

'I had not talked to mom for a long long time.  That whole six months I shunned her and I really hurt her.  She had calmed down quite a bit.  She still was not training but she no longer had that sickening smile even though she did give me a big hug when I came back.'

'I never really had time to reconcile with mom.  Everything started to happen.  It was just awful.'

'Ligh escaped from prison.'

'He had help.  He had somehow contacted his uncle from space and called him down to help him out and have his revenge… you know… the usual story that goes with that.  Usually it is the father or a son that does it, but this time it was an uncle.'

'His name was Drak.  He was nothing at all like Krad.  You would have never know hat they were brothers.  Actually, Drak looked a lot like Ligh.  With the nearly white hair, but he had dark eyes and his skin was tanned.  He was not any stronger than Krad, but he was well trained and smarter than Krad.'

'We learned that the hard way.'

'I was just getting used to be in our new house –mom and Goten had moved out of the compound- and all the changes in the family when the chaos that Drak and Ligh brought on all of us.'

'Goten and Trunks were not talking to each other.  They were angry at one another.  Trunks had put a tombstone for his father beside Bulma's in the graveyard.  He was certain that she had killed him and just wasn't going to admit it.  It was the main reason that Goten and Trunks were fighting.  Goten was protecting mom and Trunks was just trying to get an admission out of her.'

'An endless fight.'

'That was how they snuck up on us.  Ligh had taken advantage of the dive that the stocks took when Bulma died and had built up his supply of them and did some type of hostile take over thing.  Trunk's was in a fury over this when Drak made his first appearance.  Of course, we didn't really think that he was much of a threat.'

'We thought we were all undefeatable.'

'We were wrong.'

……………………………..

Benot stopped talking and took a deep breath and looked as if he was fighting tears.  Vegeta had reentered the room and stood silently against one of the walls.  Bulma put her arms around him and tried to comfort the boy.

Trunks didn't like what he was hearing.

He could see a lot of shame in the boy in front of him.  He shouldn't have to bear such a burden.

"I was so wrong about all lot of things," Benot said and chewed on his lip.  His hand clenched in his lap and it looked like he needed to hit something.

"Continue," Vegeta said from his spot.

Benot just nodded his head and took a couple of deep breaths and began again.

……………………………

            'Drak went after Soyna first.'

            'Killed her right in front of me.'

            'She was not the only one that day to die.  A lot of people died that day.  Drak had his stupid minions distract us others so that he could get a few alone and finish them off.  It was his plan all along and we didn't see it!'

            'I was so scared but after I saw mom… She just fell!  Fell!  That bastard Drak just grabbed her neck and and … snap!  Just like that!  She didn't even struggle!  He wasn't at all like Krad who had kept calling mom a beauty.'

            'Drak was evil and all he wanted was to see us all suffer for humiliating his nephew the way we did!'

            'She was just a rag doll!'

            'Dad… I mean… Goten lost it at the sight of this and just about did defeat him.  He had the guy cornered but I… I…'

……………………………………………

Benot broke out into tears at this point.  He was trying really hard to stop the tears from coming.  He was trying to be strong.

"If I had just stayed where I was… things would have been different!"  He said.  Benot's hands were in tight fists on his lap, so tight that his knuckles were stark white and shaking.  "But mom moved."

"She was still alive?"  Trunk's said and was utterly shocked.  He knew his girl was tough, but this was horrible.

Benot nodded and looked down at his lap.

"I ran to her and when I did that, I was exposed."  He was shaking a little worse now.  He wanted to go to the boy and hold him but Bulma already had her arms around him and it seemed that he didn't want to be comforted after all.

"Drak used that to his advantage."

Tears fell onto to his light colored pants leaving dark circles there.  His voice hitched painfully.

"I didn't ask him to do that!"  He said and looked straight at Vegeta.  "I never asked him to do anything for me!  I never did!  But he took the blast that was meant for me and it hurt him really bad!  I hurt him and killed him!  The blast that was supposed to kill me!"

"Oh you poor dear.  You saw both your parents die," Bulma said and stroked his hair.  "How awful."

His voice went low now and full of sadness.

……………………………

            'Before she died, she asked me –ME- for forgiveness.  I was the one that should have been asking her for forgiveness!  I was the one that made her stop her training.  I was the one that ran away from my own problems.'

            'But I gave it to her anyway, just before she died in my arms.'

            'Drak caught his breath from the battle he had been having with Goten.  He taunted him as Goten struggled to stand up.  I just sat there, stroking my dead mothers hair and watched.  I thought we were all dead.  I think I was willing to accept it at that point as well.  I don't remember really what I was thinking.  I don't even think I was scared anymore.'

            'Then things got weird.'

            'That was when Cyrus changed.'

……..

"Changed?"  Vegeta raised his eyebrows.  His jaw was set firmly.  He wondered what was going though his head.  Trunks really wished he understood his father.  "How?"

Benot looked at his lap as if he was trying to regain his composure.  He was still shaking so badly.  His eyes darted to the room that Cyrus lay in.  He seemed hesitant to tell what was to come next but he took a deep breath and began again.

………

            'He changed into Cyron.  A horrible mix of Cyrus and Shelong.  He had been in the shadows.  He must have been watching the battle.  He was as huge as the dragon and full of terrible power.  He had such a terrible roar!'

'I think loosing both his parents caused him to snap.'

            'I don't know how to describe him.  He was just so horrific.  I think he had more Shelong than Cyrus.  The face still looked like the dragon but the eyes, they were Cyrus, dark and deep, but he had shoulders and arms with long talons on the end and his mane was dark green and flowing… I don't know if I can really describe what he turned into.  It was just the most terrifying thing that I had ever seen.'

            'Drak did not last long against the dragon.  Cyron quickly wrapped his tail around him and started to crush him.  You should have seen the horrible snarl on his mouth as he brought him so that he could see him.  His voice just boomed as he spoke the final words that Drak heard.'

            'NO MORE OF THIS NONSENSE!'

            'He then crushed Drak and watching him crumble in his grip.  I don't think I mentioned why he was so strong as to compared to the rest of his family.  He had some mechanical modifications.  Like Freeza did, but these were much more effective and subtle.  Of course, I don't think he needed to have his whole body rebuilt.'

            'I thought that he was going to turn on me then.  I really did.  I really really did.  I was terrified but I wasn't about to leave mom.'

            'I know that I closed my eyes and waited to get crushed.  He didn't crush me.  I think he would have if some of Drak's minions had not entered the play.  I heard him growl and I heard screams but it was over by the time I opened my eyes.  Cyron was furious and looked as if he was going to keep on attacking and probably would have if… if  Goku hadn't arrived.  Goku was able to talk to Cyron and get him to calm down and stop his rampage.'

            'Flare died that day too.  Flint had her in his arms when he came.  Flare's death just about sent Cyron into a fury.  Goku was able to talk him back down even though he wasn't doing to well himself.  He had lost ChiChi and he had lost Goten.  He was on the verge of crumbling himself.  But he managed to calm down Cyron again and it looked like he was losing the fury that created him with Crystal arrived all frantic and angry.'

             'It was a hell of a mess.'

            'She can transform to level 4.  I didn't know if you knew that.  It only took her three months of training to get to that level, but she could and when she arrived she was ready to fight.   She thought the dragon was another enemy and with losing her dad and grandmother and all.'

……………

"Wait a minute here!  I'm dead!"  Trunks said with wide eyes.  How could he be surprised with Crystal acting the way she was?

"I wasn't there for that," Benot said simply.  He wasn't looking at him anymore and Vegeta was glad for that.  "Crystal doesn't talk about that.  She just will say that she was not quick enough."

"I saw how strong my other self was!  He kept himself up!  How could he be killed?"  Trunks was very pale.  He didn't like this fact.  Nor did he, but it obviously happened.

"Talk to Crystal," he said.  "We don't talk about that.  I don't even like to talk about this!  If we all had stayed together, we probably would have had a chance.  But we were all torn apart and fighting each other."  Benot looked at him angrily but then he quickly looked away, back down at his lap.  "We lost so much."

…………………………….

            'She just about attacked Cyron!'

            'I didn't want to leave mom, but I did and threw myself in front of her and told her to stop.  I don't know how I did that.  I can't seem to get that same level of speed anymore.'

            'Of course Cyron didn't like her attacking him and swatted us both aside and then just growled a deep growl.' 

            'I HAVE HAD ENOUGH' 

            'Was all that he said and flew off.'

            'Cyron then hunted down Ligh.'

            'I didn't follow him.  I couldn't.  I was to grief stricken and hurt to follow him, but Crystal and Goku did.  She can tell you what happened when he caught Ligh.  I covered mom up with my jacket and then I was searching for something to cover up Goten… he was still alive barely breathing.  I cried for him not to die.  I begged him not too.  I mustered up all the strength that I could and dragged him to the hospital.  It didn't help though.  He still died.  He kept calling for mom the whole time.  It was heart breaking.  I felt so bad for calling him such a jerk over the years.  He really loved mom and he was never bad to me.  We may not have seen eye to eye but he really loved mom.'

            'I had lost nearly everything that day.'

            'Legen was still alive but he lost an eye in the battle and had to wear and eye patch afterward.  Flint was okay other then than the fact that he refused to talk after that day.  I think it was because he felt so lost without Flare.  They may have fought with each other but they never were apart.  We just had Junior and he was pretty shaken up over the losses as well.  He seemed a lot more distant after that day.'

            'Goku also became different that day.  He may have lived but he was blaming himself for allowing it all to happen.  He kept saying that it was his fault for not being able to keep the dragon happy.'

            'Fry was badly hurt that day as well.  I saw him in the hospital.  I think they had tortured him.  He looked that way.  I don't think his left leg will ever be right again.'

            'Trunks and Gem were gone.  They perished in battle.  Pan lived, but did not have the use of her right arm anymore and had a pretty bad burn across her face.'

            'Poor Bra lost that little one that she was carrying.  She was right at nine months at that time.  It devastated her and Raymond.  I don't think they will ever come to terms with that loss.'

            'Gohan and Videl were okay.  They were like our support after all this happened.  They tried to bring us all back together a little bit.  It didn't really work.  It was so painful to see reminders of those we lost.'

            'And Cyrus.  After the rage left him, he turned back into that little boy again.  The transformation nearly killed him though.  It left him as cold as ice and nearly catatonic on us.   I thought we were going to loose him to.  I took care of him while.  I wouldn't leave his side at the hospital.  I nearly collapsed from exhaustion taking care of him.  I felt so bad for letting him down.  I mean, big brothers are supposed to take care of their little brothers.'

            'I had hoped that he would not remember anything that had happened during his transformation, but he did remember.  He woke up crying and begging for me to tell him that it was a dream.'

            'I couldn't lie to him.'

………………………………….

Tobe stopped talking for a bit and was just sitting there in great mourning.  His whole body was tense.  Bulma wished she could make him feel better.  This poor boy had so many burdens on him.

"Bra lost her baby," Vegeta muttered almost more to himself than to anyone else.  He was staring at the floor now.  He looked distant.  He never saw him that way before.  She didn't know who Bra was in the other time, but she was obviously connected to him somehow.  

She wished that she knew more about the other time's history.

………………………………..

            'We all went out separate ways again.  It wasn't until Cyrus woke up one day and came running into my room and said he knew how to fix it all.  He was so excited.  'All we have to do, is find Vegeta.''

            'I just rolled my eyes at him.  'like that is possible.'  He just grinned and for about two weeks he was working madly in Bulma's lab.  It was almost scary seeing an seven year old boy go nuts in there like that.  He was acting like a mad scientist!  He wouldn't go to school or do anything like that and he wouldn't explain to me what was going on other than he was going to fix things so that things will be better again.'

            'I didn't realize that he was modifying the time capsule to fit into the space ship.'

            'He had planned on going alone but Crystal saw one of her stupid visions again and burst in on an argument that Cyrus and I were having.  She pushed herself on us saying that her vision could help guide them and there was no way that they were going to get rid of her anyway.'

            'That is why that pest is with us.'

…………………………………..

"So, why did you have to travel in time?"  Bulma asked.  "You can't change what already has happened, you can only create another dimension, a splint from the change in history."

Tobe sighed.  "I don't understand it all that well.  Cyrus is the only one that really understands that part.  I just know that the dragon told him that they had to mend the dimensions because they were growing out of control and had to be diminished or they all would be destroyed.  We have been doing that.  That is what we have been doing for the last, uh, ten or so years.'

"Why were there so many created?"  Bulma asked.

Tobe sighed deeply, "Lots and some of them were very very weird."   He looked like he was going to say something else, but then he frowned deeply and in a loud voice.  "Well, it is about time!"  He stood up and it looked like his grief was swept away by anger.   This Tobe acted like she did.

Crystal was in the doorframe with Bra standing beside her in matching outfits.  She didn't think she was too happy to see Bra in a mini skirt and short top.  They both had armloads of clothes.

"What?" Crystal said.  "I told you I went shopping.  What is your problem now?"  The two couldn't talk to each other in civil voices.  They were always snapping at each other.

"You left me here to tell them everything all by myself!"  He snapped and jabbed a finger at her shoulder.

"Hey!  You did not object to me going out!"  She said and jabbed him right back.  "Cyrus was still sleeping!  I was enjoying myself."

Tobe's finger dug into her shoulder again.   "Well he woke up!  He got mad at me!"  He said.

She growled at him.  "I do have the phone!"  She said and showed him the phone.  "You could have called."  She spoke to him with a voice full of distain.

"Have you done any thing!"  he said.

"Oh!  Quit being such a jerk!  Of course I have, you dolt!  I haven't found anything!  Geez!  I know what to look for you know!"  She said and pushed past him.  "Is Cyrus still awake?"

"No.  You let him rest.  He is still cold," Tobe said and blocked the door.

That when she noticed her son looking at Crystal with his teeth on his lip.  She knew what that meant.  He wanted to know how he died.

"Okay!  Okay!  Geez!  Prude."

"Hussy."

"Freak."

"Bitch."

"Bastard."

"Slut."

"Creep."

"Enough!"  Vegeta snapped.  They both turned to him and were silent.  "You can yell at each other later.  I want to hear what Crystal has to tell us."

"Me?"  she said and suddenly had a strange innocent look on her face.

"Yes, you," he said.  "How did my son die?"  He was curious too.

She frowned suddenly and looked at the floor.  "I don't like talking about it."

"You don't have a choice."  Vegeta said.

Crystal sighed.  Benot returned to his chair beside her and she made herself comfortable near Trunks.  Bulma shooed off Bra.  She did not need to hear this, even though she protested.  He told her to go find her brothers.  That would take her awhile to do.

She started to talk.

…………………………..

            'I don't know where to start.  Okay.  Well, I should explain my dreams first.'

            'I always had dreams and I thought they were just that.  I had a dream about how the feud started and in the dream my dad tried to stop it and he got hurt because of it. But in real life, I stopped him from going… but then my dreams started to change.  Things were okay before.  Yeah, there was that feud but they worked it out in my dream.  It took awhile but it worked out.'

            'I couldn't understand why things started to change, but because I stopped dad from getting hurt, it changed the outcome of the battle.'

            'Changed a lot of outcomes.'

            'Then I had dreams about Vegeta leaving and I knew it was bad.  I tried to get dad to talk to you but he didn't understand my dreams.'

            'Then you did leave.'

            'Things really got weird and my dreams were not keeping up and most of them were so strange that I didn't understand them.'

            'I did understand that my father and Goten fighting was bad.  After than initial fight, they just couldn't see eye to eye.  They were constantly on the verge of wanting to hurt each other.   They even moved off the compound and I wasn't allowed to train with him anymore either!  It was really tense.'

            'Then there was the company take over.'

            'My dreams had started to stabilize a bit.  I was able to understand them again and they were not showing me good things.  Just as I was started to get a grip on them, Dad lost Capsule Corp in a hostile takeover.  It crushed him to loose the company and then when he found out who it was… I had never seen dad so angry.'

            'Then those weasels attack my father!  They were under control of Ligh who was giggling like a mad man  -  I think he had gone mad in jail – and they were quick little things!  They had sharp claws too!'

            'Dad was not fighting smart!  He was so angry that it did not take much for Ligh to distract him.  He would be on the verge of destroying a creature and then Ligh would taunt him under the protection of those things!  Then he was worrying about me as well.  I was able to transform to level 4 but I still did not have the skill.'

            'I was able to help, but I wasn't able to stop Ligh from getting revenge on Goku.  He killed ChiChi!  I couldn't stop it.  I couldn't keep up with those freaks and then… then when I tried to help dad…  Ligh used that old trick with the poison on him!  Dad thought it wouldn't work since he had been poisoned before right, but since the poison had been cleansed from all out systems because of the wish, it worked!  Those weasels had that poison on their claws and they used it on dad!'

            'Before he died, he told me to go get help.'

            'That is when I saw the dragon in the sky.'

            'I thought that they had somehow summoned the dragon and we were able to get the wishes… Of course, when I arrived…I saw that it was different than that.  I thought it was a monster and I just about did attack it.  He stopped me but the dragon scared me.  It always had.'

…………………………..

"Always had?"  Trunks asked.

"I had dreamed about it and I knew it was going to happen but I thought that since the other dreams could be changed.  Why couldn't I change this one?"  She sighed deeply and looked at Trunks.  She stammered over her words for a moment and resumed her talking.

………………………….

            'Once I recovered from the blow Cyron gave me.  I followed him as he went – almost in a flash – to where dad was getting tortured by Ligh.  He was still alive!  I was so happy to see that.  I just about ran forward to dad but Goku grabbed me.  I didn't even realize that he had followed me.  I was only thinking that I had to help dad and he was so hurt.'

            'Cyron… he was terrifying…Ligh didn't realize what type of trouble he was getting into at the sight of the dragon.  Cyron had the memories of both the boy and the dragon.  The dragon remembered Ligh and remembered how much he hated him as well.  Ligh, of course, as all those villains do in the end, bargained for his life and then went to desperation, saying that his uncle would avenge him.  I enjoyed laughing at him and telling him that he was already dead.'

            'Of course, Ligh's last act was killing my father with a simple knife.  I saw it coming.  I was much to slow.  I…. I….'

…………………………

He held her in his arms and stroked her hair as she sobbed.

No wonder she acted the way she did in the mall when she saw him for the first time.

"It was a stupid simple knife!"  She bawled and her whole body shook.

The only sound in the room was her sobbing.  He held her and let her cry.  It would make her feel better to get it out of her system.  He waited to hear more.

……………………….

            'Cyron grabbed me and pulled me back.   I blamed him for a bit, but I knew it wasn't his fault.'

            'Ligh was busy laughing and saying that revenge was sweet as Cyron… well, it is pretty gross what he did to him.  It was like he enjoyed ripping the guy apart and then blasting him to oblivion.  It was Goku that got him to calm down.  I was to busy crying and angry at him to care if he tried to crush me.'

            'I was so shocked when the dragon because Cyrus again.'

            'Of course, he didn't really look the same.  No one knew that the dragon had appeared on his skin again.  I didn't know that… well, I sort of did, but my dreams were vauge on that part.  They just showed the dragon emerging again.  I really had not that of it that much and how that tattoo moved along his skin!  It was scary.  When grandpa Goku had the tattoo, I swear it would move sometimes, but it was always slow and leisurely if it did.  This was not like that.  It moved across his skin so quickly.  I think it was trying to get out.  I know it was because there were some scratches on his belly after that.'

………………….

She fell silent.  "I am tired now," she said and stood and just walked out the door.  He wanted to ask her more questions.  Even Benot didn't object to her leaving.  It looked like he wanted to bolt as well.

"The dragon is trying to leave him?"  Vegeta said.  It wasn't really a question.

Trunk's was amazed at the information that they were giving him.  They were Children that were forced to become adults.  He frowned deeply.  I had to far to many of them all.

Benot spoke, even though he was pretty sure Vegeta didn't want to hear the answer.  "They try to separate every time that the power is tapped into.  That is why his arm is so chewed up this time.  He grows stronger every time, as well."  He was looking at his lap again.  "I should really check on him."  He stood slowly and walked into the room.

"Why does the dragon want to leave him?"  Vegeta said in a demanding voice.  He wanted the answer to the question.  He had that intense look that only dad could get.

"Because of that stupid," Benot ground his teeth together. "stupid silver ball.  When Cyrus touched it… it was like they canceled each other out.  Instead of being able to be at peace and just be a smart boy, he became two and the energy from the silver ball became reversed and became like a homing device."

The room was so silent.

Homing device?  He did not like the sound of that!

"I am going to check on my brother now, if you don't mind," Benot said and rose slowly.  "And then I think we really have to start planning for possible enemies."

……………………….

_Woah… a long one but it answers a lot –o- questions._

_Well, Merry X-mas and all that other politically correct things to say./… oh yeah… review me…._


	23. Time Twisting

Time Twisting.

Vegeta was awfully silent.

Not his normal brooding self, but really really quiet and distracted.  The only time that she ever remembered him being that was… was before he made the decision to go hunt the androids, to protect her and her son, before he died trying.

What was he brooding over now?

Bulma did not push him though.  She didn't want to upset him any further.  He was very tense.  The only thing he commented on was the fact that they left out a lot of battle details.

"He never said how any of them were hurt or killed, just that it happened," he had frowned deeply.

"They were traumatized enough.  Do they have to tell you about every little punch."  She said.  "The outcome would be the same."

He just gave a grunt at that and went back to brooding.

…………………

Cyrus felt refreshed and warm.  It had been a week longer than he had planned to remain in bed but the cold would not let him leave the covers.

He was relieved that the shivers did not come again as he walked around the room.  It had been an extra long week it seemed.  He stretched and was so thankful for the feel of the warm sun on his skin as he looked out the window.

He was still scared to see how much damage was done to his arm.  He knew it was bad from the look on Benot's face and the way Crystal joked about how she could hardly notice it.

He could see the yard and Benot was out there with Junior and he believed the other boy's name was Boxer, and they were training together.  He did seem to be enjoying himself even though he would grumble sometimes at how he wished he didn't have to train anymore and wished for a peaceful life.

He hoped he could grant that and grant it soon.

With Vegeta here, he probably could.

He frowned though.  Vegeta had to go along with it too.  He looked and saw that he was watching the boy's spar with each other, hovering over Soyna who was reading a book and watching them at the same time.  He frowned deeper.  There were so many similarities.   He really missed mom.  Seeing this younger and happier version did not help him feel any better.

Then Bulma appeared with drinks for everyone.

He saw Vegeta smile as he accepted the drink.

How could he get him to agree to leave?

He would have to give her up.  The one person that was able to turn him around and make him a better person than he ever could be if it had not been for her.  How could he ask that?

But he knew he would.  He would love to stay here in this relative peace and play with his aunt and uncles that he will never have back in the other time and have a mother who was alive and well.

But it wouldn't be real.

He could never have his father back.  Flint.  Flare. …all of them.  They did not deserved what happened to them.

The world crashed down on his shoulders again and even though everyone looked so happy outside, he knew that it wouldn't last for long.  He knew that something bad was happening.  He knew it very well that some enemy was coming.

Something always came and in this time, it was the most dangerous of all.  This time did not have much of the enemies that his family had already fought and defeated.  Buu.  Bebi.  And all the others that always came up!  It could be disastrous here.  If he learned nothing from the time travel it would be that with every piece that you tampered with another got worse at the end.

He figured that was why his time was all screwed up.  He actually knew it.  It was the most stable time, the one in the center.  This time was stable also but not as much, it was a little off center but it was steady.  But all the others, were very unstable and causing a lot of problems.

Of course, he was not looking forward to explaining as to why that was.

He looked back to Vegeta.

He had a lot of memories.  He had all the dragon's, a lot of Goku's and his mothers as well.  Of course, he didn't tell anyone that.  He understood Vegeta a little bit more because of Goku's memories and how strong his pride was and how much he had changed but he also remembered how quick it was for him to revert.

Her rubbed the scar on his cheek.

It all started with the stupid scar.

"Well," he said out loud.  "I guess I should go ruin their day."

…………………………………

Crystal always picked out the best clothes for him.  He partially liked the simple green shirt that she had bought him with the high collar and the tan cargo pants.  He was even happy to see a new pair of boots for him as well.  She was very good and picking out clothes.

He looked in the mirror.

Sometimes, Crystal would say that he looked like his father.  He couldn't see it.  Grandma ChiChi once said that he looked a lot like her father.  He guessed that was where he got the size from.  He never thought he would be bigger than, well, anyone.  He had no intentions of ever growing a beard.

He brushed his hair as neatly as he could, but knew it wouldn't last long.  His hair had a mind of it's own sometimes.

He had to face them all now.

He could _feel _the dragon moving on his skin.  He was still very active today and knew that he should still take it easy, but he didn't think that waiting any longer would be a good idea.  He had to talk to Vegeta.  He wanted to hopefully get it resolved and life back to normal before they had to fight someone else.

He had to agree.

He couldn't undo all that he had repaired.

He couldn't bear that thought of all the time wasted, just to end so badly.

He started to walk out of the house and walked by Brennen.  He could feel the intensity of the glare that he was getting from him.  He also knew that Benot was getting the same glare and hardly the fatherly feeling that he got from the other Brennen.  He knew it was because Soyna was paying them so much attention.  Especially him.  He heard Brennen grumbling to Raymond about how he did not like how his wives attentions were turning.

He thought it was rather humorous to hear that Brennen was such a jealous man.  He didn't give any indication of that in the other time.  He also thought it was funny.  If he knew he was jealous of two of her own children…. But then, he couldn't tell him that.

He quickly left the room.  No need to antagonize the man.

Benot saw him first.  He could tell by the way that he tensed up and the smile left his face.  Then everyone turned to him.  He was happy to see Soyna stand and smile brightly at him.  She was the first to reach him.

"Are you sure you should be up?" she asked with one hand on his arm and another reaching to his forehead.  He just smiled and let her.

"I am better now.  Thank you," he said as she pulled away.  It was so hard to look at her.

It tore at his heart.  He missed his mother so much.  He missed his family.

Benot looked like had had some fans.  Junior  - sorry – 'Geta and Boxer were looking at him as he remembered how he looked up to his uncle when he was little, even though 'Geta was quite a bit bigger than he had been.  They were looking at him anxiously.

He did not tell either his brother or Crystal how things had to be fixed this time.  It was going to be different that all the other times that he fixed.

This time, they would be left behind.

He frowned again, even with the comforting touch of his mother on his arm, (and the glare of Brennen's eyes) and the calmness of the day, he could almost _feel_ the turmoil coming.

He looked to Vegeta.  "I need to speak with you."

"You should eat first," Soyna said.  "There is plenty in the kitchen."

He was hungry but… "I will eat later.  I must speak to Vegeta."

He frowned deeply but nodded his head and walked forward.  Benot walked forward also.

"You can keep training the boys," Cyrus said with a smile that somehow felt fake.  "I just need to talk to him.  You know what is going to happen."  He hated lying to his brother.  He wondered if he saw it?  He hoped not.

"but…" Benot said.

Boxer and 'Geta smiled.  "Yeah!  You can show us how to do that energy beam!  That was so cool!"  Boxer said and jumped up and down.  'Geta was a little more reserved.  Not much, but a little.

He looked a disappointed that he was not going to be included in the conversation.  It was a good thing Crystal was not around right now.  He was pretty sure that they would start arguing with each other again.  Crystal would probably want in on the conversation as well, and he did not want that.

"Enjoy yourself," he said and felt that fake smile on his face again.

He seemed to accept it.  He looked to Vegeta and he led the way.  He saw the look Soyna was giving him as well.  Just like mom.

………………….

"Well?"  he said.  What was the boy waiting for?  What other bad new could he possibly have to tell him?

Cyrus chewed his lip and ran his hand through his hair as he took a seat in Bulma's lab.  He didn't know where else he could take the boy and not worry about the privacy being interrupted.  The boy obviously had something to tell him and only him.  The stupid grin that he had been giving Benot was a give away that he didn't want him there.  Damn him for acting like his father!

Cyrus gave a little sigh and looked at his lap.  It was as if he couldn't look at him right now.

His voice sounded low as he began to talk.  "Did you know how Goku and Bulma met?"

"No and I don't care!"  Vegeta said.  What the hell was he getting at?

"You should.  It is important," Cyrus said, now able to look up.  His eyes!  He took a step back as he looked into the boy's eyes.  They were not how troubled a boy's eyes should be.   He looked back down at his lap again.  "Did you know that she had been hunting for the dragonballs?"

He didn't answer.

"She just happens to stumble across a boy and join his journey.  Do you know why she was hunting the dragonballs?"

Was he expecting him to answer?  He continued.  Guess not.

"She was wanted to find her prince.  Marry him and life happily ever after."  He said.  "She wanted nothing more than love and a family and happiness."

"What is your point?"  he growled.

"She never made that wish, but she got it," he said.

He just stared at the oddly wizened boy.  He couldn't even think.

"She married you and had a family and had a wonderful life that made her happy," Cyrus said and now looked at the ceiling.   "She knows how much you cared for her, even if you couldn't say it.  You showed it.  She knew."

He wanted to get angry at him for saying such things but Cyrus voice continued and he really did not want those pained eyes to turn back to him.

"I traveled a lot," Cyrus said, now rubbing some dust off his boot.  "A lot.  We have been though many times and seen the aftermath of what you have done just to be with her."

"What?"  He snapped now.  "What are you saying?"

"You used the time travel machine to really screw things up," Cyrus said.  "You didn't know that you were doing that.  You were just looking to fill the emptiness that she left in you, but it didn't work.  She will die in this time too.  She will die and you will have to mourn all over again and you can't handle her death.  All you do is keep traveling further and further back."  He looked up and those troubled eyes stared right at him again and held him in place.

"A person can not remain sane seeing the ones they love die so many times,"  Cyrus said.

"What are you saying?"  he growled but he understood what he was saying.

"You crack, Vegeta.  You crack and you crack good and hard," he said, those eyes still holding him.  He wished he would look back at the ceiling.

"Of course," his eyes turned to his lap.  "The Bulma at 16 was very different from the Bulma that you knew here or even met on Namek.  She was still nothing more than a girl with dreams and had a problem with dating trouble makers."

He frowned, but Cyrus smiled.  "Well, I guess she never got over that one huh?"  he chuckled at his own joke and looked at the ceiling again.  "You did not take the rejection well, especially when she chose Yamcha over you."

Bulma?  Rejecting him?  For scar face?  How could that ever happen?

"Believe me.  It happened and you really lost it then." Cyrus said.  "That was really hard to fix.  It really drained me to fix that time."

"Fix?"

"All the times you went to created alternates.  Some crowded each other out and overlaps were happening in the alternates.  There is a limit of alternates, did you know that?  Two is usually all that can be held and I believe 5 is the maximum, depended on where you are positioned in the weave of things.  But there was over 40 alternates and I had to fix everyone.  The pattern was marred and I had to fix it and I fixed it and you cannot destroy it.  I put to much work into it."  He looked up.  "I have fixed it and all there is the part where you make sure things do not slip again."

He just blinked at the boy and didn't like the way that his eyes were focused on him.  They looked like the dragon's eyes, not a boy's.

"What can I do?" he breathed.

"You have to go back to where it all started.  Where the time started to twist and straighten it out again." He said and stood.  "I can send you back there."  He rubbed the cheek with the scar again.  There was a scary determination that was in there and there was also fear.  "And it has to work."

He could hardly breath with how the boy was looking at him.

"You have to stop this," he said and rubbed the scar again.  "If you and mom don't fight…"  he took a deep breath.  "If there is no feud, things will turn out okay.  They will turn out real good then." He said and rubbed his cheek a little harder, as if he were trying to erase the scar.  "No one will die.  Everyone will be happy again."

He frowned.  "Can't you go further back?"

He shook his head.  "I cannot bring her back Vegeta.  She died of natural causes after a long full life.  I can't do that.  I tried that."  His voice grew low.  "It just makes things worse.  She dies of much worse things if I try that and they are just as unstoppable."

"Why would I want to go back?" he said.  "I have her here!  I have her for now.  It is better than not having her at all!"  How could he ask him to leave her?  He had her.  He had her back and he couldn't bear to be without her!  Why would he want her to go back to that horror that he left?

"It doesn't work that way!"  Cyrus said and it was almost a growl.  He stood from his stood and hovered over him.  "Do you know what caused her stroke?  You never asked Raymond but I found out.  If she doesn't die of the stroke then she dies of cancer.  That is what sent the blood clot to her brain.  It was much less painful than seeing her crumbling under that disease!  Be glad that she did not suffer!"

He did growl as he sat back down.  "Quit being so selfish!"

"I am being the selfish one!"  He growled right back.

"Yes!"  Cyrus snapped.  Vegeta could see some of the dragon peaking out into his hands.  The dragon's claws looked like they were forming there.  "Everything is at risk!"

"I was fine until you showed up!"  he growled.

"No you weren't!"  Cyrus said.  His eyes narrowed.  "You have to do this Vegeta!  You have too!  I can't bear this burden!  I can't fix it again!  I can't!  There is no other way!  I have done everything.  He will be free of me if I can't fix it and Shelong cannot be without rules or without end!  It cannot be!"

"You call me selfish!"  He growled.  "You are just doing this because of whatever happened to you!  I have a chance to make up for my wrongs.  Here!"

"What about the wrongs that you did in the other time!"  Cyrus said.  "Do you think I am enjoying this!  Do you think that I enjoyed seeing my family torn to shreds and knowing how to fix it and not being able to do it!  I have the power now!  But I need you to cooperate with me!"

Was he fighting tears?  Vegeta looked away.  "I am making up for what I can."  He said and walked out.  He couldn't face the boy anymore.

He heard a frustrated scream as he left the room.  He didn't look back but he was certain that he was crying and that his hands most likely looked like they were tattooed with dragon claws.

He could only fix what he knew how to fix.

His stomach twitched and his head ached.  He decided it was best if he went for a walk.

…………..


	24. Trouble

24

Trouble

"Tobe?"

He could feel that he was angry.  He knew his brother and it took a lot to get him angry and this feeling was not good.

"Tobe?"  He felt a hand on his arm.  He turned to see Soyna looking at him with a concerned look on her face.  "What is going on in there?"  she felt it too.

He hated the fake name.  Why couldn't he use his real name?  He knew the answer to that but he still wished he could use his real name!

"I don't know," he said and was about to go find out.  It shouldn't be so difficult to talk to Vegeta about the fixing of the time paths.   But it was already over.  Vegeta stormed out of Bulma's lab and flew off without a word of notice.

Then Cyrus appeared.

He took a slight step back and gulped.

Cyrus had tears coming down his cheeks and his hands were frantically trying to wipe them away.  It was the hands that made him take the step back.  The marking were moving on his hands, they had quickly slipped up his sleeve but he had seen them and so had Soyna from the sound of her gasp.

He tried to smile but it didn't work.

"What went wrong?"  he said as he walked towards his brother.  He was very aware that Soyna, 'Geta and Boxer were curiously following as well.

Cyrus just put on that fake grin of his and tried to look nonchalant.   "Nothing," he said.  "We just had a little disagreement."

"Don't lie to me," he said.

Cyrus sighed heavily as he saw his brother's knee's sag a bit.  It was Soyna that stopped him from falling to the ground.

"You are still cold!  You should still be in bed!"  She said in a curt voice.

Cyrus gave her such a sad look as he struggled to his feet again.  "I will be okay," he said.  "I think I will take you up on that food offer though.  I am quite hungry."

She frowned slightly but didn't ask anything else.  She started leading him to the kitchen.

He wanted follow.  He really wanted too but knew that the question he had to ask were not for the ears that were near him.  He couldn't with the young version of his uncle and an uncle that he never was meant to have looking up at him.  He had been having so much fun with them!  It was like he was back home but that had just been an illusion.

Reality really sucked.

…………

Trunk's walked into the kitchen and was a little startled to see Cyrus out of bed.  Soyna was doting on him right now and he was reveling in it all.  At least that explained the run in with Brennen that he had.

He really thought that they should tell him that she was doting on her children, not suitors!

He was down right miserable and being over protective.  He was starting to really like his son-in-law.  He did love her and he doubted that the betrayal that happened in the other time, would happen in this.  Not with him acting the way he was.

Soyna didn't seem to notice though.

"Dad," Soyna said with a smile.  "Where have you been all morning?"

Cyrus grunted a greeting and kept on eating.  He obviously was doing well and eating like a Son.

"Stuff," he said with a grin.  He couldn't help the grin.  It was a very good morning.  Carmen was still in bed.

She made a face and shook her head.  "Ew… I didn't need to know that."

Was he that transparent?  Cyrus was looking between them with a confused look on his face.  He didn't need to know.  He was thankful that Cyrus gave a little shrug and resumed the devouring process.

"It is good to see that you are up," he said to Cyrus.  "You look much better."

"He should still be in bed!"  Soyna said in a stern voice that he remembered very clearly the older version using with her own children.  He couldn't wait for his own grandchildren.  Of course, he never thought he was going to even think that before he knew…  "He is still cold to the touch."

"wha wood wis wamming ma wup," he said with his mouthful of food, swallowed and then said it without the food.  "The food is warming me up.  I am feeling better.  You don't need to worry.  I know my limits."

She sniffed.

Yeah, he knew that his family had a problem with that.  Limits.  They were the things that they all tried to ignore.  All of them.

"Really.  I know my limits."  He said.  "I will be back to my normal self in a day or two."  He said and resumed eating.  You could defiantly see the Son blood in him.  Wow, he could shovel it in!

"We shall see," Soyna said and looked at the clock.  "Well, I have to go to my shift in the hospital.  Bye dad.  Bye Cyrus," she said and was off.

……………………..

She was doting on that kid again!  Why the hell did she have to dote on him like that?  It wasn't proper for a married woman to look at another man like that!  And the way that he looked back at her!

Brennen didn't like this at all!

So what if they were supposed to be here to save the world.  He had a hard enough time understanding the time travel stuff without those two _boys_ doting on his wife!  He didn't like this at all.  No one else seemed to have a problem with it.  No one.  His father-in-law who was usually so easy to criticize him for looking at a set of pretty legs was not even bating an eye at what his daughter was doing!

He tried not to let him bother him at first, but it was pretty hard to ignore how she was leaning in on that Tobe fellow when they were talking together over dinner one day and the way she was always check on that Cyrus guy!

He forced himself to take a few deep breaths.

He was angry and he didn't want the anger to fade.

It was too dangerous to let the anger fade.

He didn't want to start crying.

………………………….

Bulma groaned.  She hated meetings and the last one was just awful.  No one was willing to make a decision and it was all up to her!  And where was Brennen!  She would defiantly give him an earful for missing the meeting!  He said he was right behind her!  He had been so distracted lately!  She was going to have to set him straight!  He was supposed to be preparing to take over from her!  

Didn't really matter though.  She was tired and hungry and it was almost time for lunch.  That was when her intercom buzzard went off.  "Miss Briefs.  You have a Vegeta here to see you.  He said you would want to see him."  Her secretary's voice sounded annoyed.

"Send him in," she answered back.

No one really knew who the father of her son was.  It wasn't something you tell people.  He was that guy that just about destroyed the earth… yeah, that sounds really good.  She just said that he passed away.  She wasn't about to start telling people that he was back from the dead… well, sort of.  This certainly would start rumors.  Oh well, it was to be expected.

He walked in and gave her secretary and angry glare.  Those two could have a staring contest.

"What brings you here?"  she said.  She was glad to see him.  Maybe she could persuade him to join her for lunch.

"I ended up here," he said and took a seat on the couch.  He looked so distant.

She shook her head. "Well, then you can join me for lunch."

She was expecting a protest and was pleasantly surprised that he just grunted and stood.

She smiled at the thought of having a _date_ with Vegeta.  They had _never_ had a date before.  Vegeta just wasn't that type of guy.  At least he wasn't before.  It was going to be interesting.

"What do you feel like eating?" she asked.  "I know a great pasta place down the street."

He just nodded.

Great.  There was something wrong with him.  She just about grabbed him and told him to snap out of it.  But she didn't.  Might as well take advantage of his distraction.

……….

He hated being wrong.

He hated it so much!

Vegeta scowled at himself as he found himself in an Italian restaurant.  He grumbled an order to the waiter and looked across the table at the woman that sat there with a smile on her face.

Cyrus was right.

He didn't like the boy being right!  He didn't want to leave!  He especially her!  But he had to go back and deal with the loss.  He had dreams after they told him what happened in the other time.  They were terrible dreams and he hid the fact that he was having nightmares from Bulma.

Most of them revolved around his little princess, Bra.

How could he just leave her like that!  He knew that she was pregnant and it must have been horrible for her to loose the baby that she had been carrying.  A grandchild that her mother had been pining for.

Every time he looked at Trunk's youngest he thought of his own little girl.  She needed him.  Trunk's was always the strong one.  It had been his fault for that.  But Bra, he knew he was going to be different the day she was born.

He wouldn't have her, but he could have part of her.  He had his children and he had his grandchildren….

"I don't want to leave you," he said in a low voice.

Bulma's eyes grew wide but she didn't say anything.

"Cyrus… he asked me…I …"  he couldn't form the sentences.  He took a deep breath.  "I have to leave you to help them and I can't come back."  It hurt so much to say that.

She gave a little gasp.

Great.  He grit his teeth.  He came to this time so that he could make up for all the pain that he caused her and here he was, causing her more.  She had a hand on her chest and there was water in her eyes.  Great.  He made her cry again.  He couldn't do anything right!

"How soon?"  she said in a sad voice.  He thought that she was going to start yelling at him.   Not ask, 'how soon?'

He shrugged.  He didn't know.  He had to tell Cyrus yet that he would do it.  He didn't even know what was all involved yet.

She smiled then, but it was a sad smile.  "We will just enjoy our remaining time together," she said.  "I will order some wine and take time off work so that we can be together for what time we have left."

She barked an order to the waiter.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he said.  She didn't know the whole story and he wasn't about to explain all that Cyrus told him to her.  He did not revel in the thought that he went mad and went back in time to when she was 16 only to loose her to scar face!  "I have to fix it."

She nodded.  "I didn't think you could stay forever," she said with a sigh.  "I hoped, but I know that is not how things work around here," she smiled brightly.  "But I had you back for a little while.  This is more than most people ever get."

It was a real smile now.  There was no sadness in it.

He wished he could return it.

He felt like she had died all over again.

_"A person can not remain sane seeing the ones they love die so many times_,"  Cyrus had said.  He remembered that line very clearly.  He was beginning to understand.  At least he would not physically have to watch her suffer again. 

………………………………

Cyrus could feel Brennen's contempt for him as soon as he walked in the room.  It didn't bother him, it was rather humorous after all that he was such a jealous man.  Benot was taking it personally though.  He didn't like the fact that the man that he got close to in the other time looked at him with such hate.

He had slept some more and was feeling rather well, despite the fact that he was not sure if he was going to be able to fix things further.  It was also nice to not feel Shelong crawling along his skin right now.  He had calmed down considerably and he felt calm as well.  He didn't know why.  He should be on edge.

He had been earlier.

But it was just so easy to relax in the peaceful house.  Everything was just so nice around here and he could hardly have any contempt for his brother and Crystal for doing the same.  Crystal and Bra had become soul sisters.  They were nearly inseparable; Bra was even trying to go 'blonde' like Crystal.  She had already asked if she could dye her hair but Carmen refused.

Carmen.

The grandmother that he never knew.  It was so nice getting to know her.  She was a much much calmer version of his mother.  He wanted to get to know his younger uncles and aunts… they were so happy here!  

Everything was so peaceful.

"Well!"  Brennen said and glared right at him.  "Where is she?"

"Huh?"  He said.  What was he talking about?

"She said that she was going to be home by now.  Where is she?"

He bit his tongue.  He just about said 'mom'.  "Soyna?"

"Whom else would I be talking about?"  He snapped. Geez.  Temper temper.  He was glad the other Brennen wasn't like this.    He felt his gut tighten.  He stood and started to _feel_ for her.  Where was she?  Mom was so good at hiding herself and he was not that good at searching it out.  Dad was the only one that could find her when she was purposely blocking herself.  He didn't have that ability.

"What is it?"  Benot said.  He snapped to attention as well.  Crystal, who had been playing _Candy Land_ with Bra stopped as well and stared at them.  So much for the relaxing family time.  That was over.  Time to get to work.

"I can't feel her," he grumbled.  "Can you?"  He looked to Benot and Trunks who had been playing a card came with 'Geta and Boxer.  He looked toward Vegeta who had been silently sitting by Bulma and listening with patience.  He was tense now as well.  He had been just talking with Bulma about her current inventions and helping her with ideas that she was having.  He was hoping to have a talk with Vegeta but the look that he kept giving him was later.  It was promising.  Maybe that is why he had over looked the feeling.

The feeling in his gut tightened.

"It's happening again, isn't it?"  Crystal said.  There was fear in her voice.

He looked to Benot and Crystal and saw the pain and panic in there eyes.  Trunk's was ready to fight.  'Geta and Boxer looked on with the usual child like curiously and anxiousness.  Vegeta face was set in a scowl.

"Damn her," Trunks said.  "I have to give her hell for learning how to hide herself so well."  It looked like he was straining.

"What's going on?"  Brennen asked.  His anger melted to worry now.

Benot growled.  "Damn it.  How come I didn't feel that before?"  His whole body sparkled with energy.

He felt it too now.

They were in so much trouble.


	25. Old Enemies New

Old Enemies New

25

It has been nearly ten years since he felt that signature but he remembered it well now.    He remembered it very well and felt like a fool for not noticing it.  He was drawn into to peaceful family that was here and had prayed that no enemy was going to strike her.

Benot felt like a fool.

He had hoped that this time would remain peaceful.

"Do you think he has her?"  He growled at Cyrus.

"Who?"  Brennen asked.  "What do you mean 'has her?'  Who has her?" He was scared now.  Benot didn't have time to be scared.

Cyrus shrugged.  He was not strong enough yet to handle a battle.  It was going to have to be him and Crystal.  It looked like Trunks was up to it as well, but he was no where near them in strength.

Every little bit would help.

"That's…!"  Crystal's eyes flashed green but she kept her power low.  She recognized it now as well.  "Why does it have to be him?  Anyone but him!"  Anger and sadness played on her face.

Vegeta stood now and looked to them.  He was waiting for directions from them.  It felt so weird seeing him do that and having Trunks look at him as well.

Cyrus closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  "Outside.  He is waiting for us."

"What?"  Crystal said.  "How could he get so close?"  She was furious and had flew to level 2 with only a single burst of energy.  Damn, he envied her.  It took a lot of time and strength for him to get there and it was hard for him to hold. She was the strongest in the room.  Even over Vegeta.  (of course, you have to discount the dragon in Cyrus)

"Those stupid blockers," Cyrus said and started to walk towards the door.

He grabbed his brother: His little brother who was twice the size of him and was smarter than he was in so many ways.

"You have to stay here," he said.  He was not as well as he was letting on.  He could still feel the chill on his skin and the weariness in his eyes.  He couldn't go into battle.  If they lost him, they lost everything.

"What?"  Cyrus said.

"We will fight," Crystal said and stood beside him.  Good.  Something that they wouldn't have to argue about.  "You will stay here and make sure that they don't get hurt."

She was meaning, Boxer, Bra and 'Geta who started to protest but it was Bulma that shook her head and told them to sit down.  They listened to her but they didn't look happy about it.

"You are not leaving me out," Vegeta growled.

"Or me," Trunks said.  "This is my family that I have to protect!"

Vegeta gave a snort and his anger flared a bit.  He looked to the door.  "Who are we fighting?"

"Drak," Cyrus said.

…………………

"Come out Come out!  Where ever you are!"  he chuckled.  He couldn't help it.  Such strong fighters all caught unaware.  Especially the beauty that was now his captive, held still and surrounded by little barbs dipped in his brother famous poison, that surrounded her throat.  She was so warm against him.  He could see why his brother could take a liking to her.  She was beautiful and had great potential for strength.

He just planned on using her for revenge.

He didn't care that his brother was dead.  That helped him out.  He always thought his brother was a little freak of nature.  But, his nephew.  He liked his nephew and seeing him so hurt by a single Saiyian… the last Saiyian in the universe as far as he could tell.

His nephew thankfully lived even though he was not well enough to join in this battle.  That was fine by him though.  He had this little pretty in his grasp.  He now had his brother's empire under his control with permission from the only son that his brother Krad had.

Life could be sweet.

But he had to get rid of these pesky intruders.

Out of the door burst four fighters.  Angry and ready to go.

Ligh had said that the Saiyian's could turn blonde but he didn't know anything about purple.  There was a tasty looking woman with long purple hair and blue eyes that looked so deep.  She was so sexy.  There was no other word for it.  She almost put the one that he held in his arms as a captive to shame.  Almost.  He would have to see what that other one felt like.

Then there was two men that looked pretty close to the same, even though one was slightly larger and had longer blonde hair.  They both had a lot of anger towards him.  He would hopefully use that to his advantage and there was the other guy.  His hair was black and hung down his back and he had red fur on his body…. What is the deal with that?  Fur!  Oh well.  Time to get on with it.

"Don't you dare take another step forward," he said, "or else I will tighten this noose around this pretty little lady."

………………………………….

Vegeta wanted to lunge at the bastard.  So this was Drak.  Krad's brother.  Just as much of a coward.  He knew it was probably a mistake to be at level 4 but his anger wouldn't let him go lower.

He knew that noose with the little barbs on it had the poison that could kill him on it and really hurt the rest of them.  She did deserve to be poisoned again.

He had long white hair and clear blue eyes.  He resembled Ligh more than his brother.

"Hiding behind a woman!"  he snorted.  "What kind of man are you?"  He growled.  Drak was holding her close to his body with that loop close to her neck but not touching it.  She looked so frightened.  He never remembered seeing her frightened.  There were tears running down her cheeks and she was shaking as he was stoking her arm with his free one.

Drak laughed.  "Nothing is below me as long as it gives me an advantage."  His laugh was annoying.  He wanted to punch out his lights right now, but they had to get the noose off Soyna first.  She did not deserve the pain of that poison.   "Plus, I think she is beginning to like me."

Then he did the most unspeakable thing.  He kissed her.

Sort of.

He licked her was a better description, from her chin to her eye.  Her whole body shuttered and it looked like she was going to pull away.  She bit down on her own tongue and he could see blood dripping out of her mouth and a look of total disgust formed on her face.

Benot took a couple steps forward.  He was disgusted as well.  Trunks looked like he was trying really hard to hold himself back as well.  After all it was his daughter out there.

Crystal stuck out her tongue.  "Blaaaaah."

"Will someone get him off of me!"  Soyna said as more tears fell down her cheeks.  There was a lot of anger in her voice.  Why wasn't she fighting back?

Surely, she was strong enough to get that noose off her neck?

"Damn you!"  Trunks snarled.  "Let my daughter go.  How can we possibly fight you, if you are holding her hostage!  We are at a draw."

Again that horrible laugh.  He really wanted to end that laugh.

"That is what you think."  Krad said and laughed further.

…………………..

Crystal saw them first.  "Weasel!"  Benot knew what she was talking about but Trunks and Vegeta looked at her confused for a moment, but just a moment.  It was enough for them to get a couple of slashes in on them.

She was able to dodge the two that attacked her and Benot was able to move as well, but he was not as quick as she was.   They nearly got him.

She grabbed one of the 'weasels'  Terrible small creatures that were about half the size of her with long noses and sharp teeth.   They reminded her of weasels, even though that didn't quite do them justice.  At least weasels were cute, these things were not!  Far from it.  They somehow made soft furry animals ugly.  Maybe it was because their fur look dirty or the crazy sparkly in their beady little eyes.  It didn't matter.  She hated them and she was going to kill them.

Simple.

The weasel was scratching at her arm and trying to chew on her wrist.  Well, she would get rid of that problem quick.

And did.

She looked over to Drak who looked shocked at how easily she crushed one of his _pets_.  She was pleased to see that he was shocked.  She was not pleased to see that he was recruiting more.  She was fast enough to catch them.  She could handle about two before and she figured that she could handle 4 at a time with her new skills but the others would be overwhelmed.

This was going to be a baaaaaaaaaad fight.

…………………………..

Trunks felt the new scratches burning on his chest and arms.  The damn little things were to quick for him and he was pushing himself as fast as he could.  He saw Crystal grab one and crush it and felt a bit of pride there, even though she was not his real daughter.  She was good.

Of course, now the weasel things were careful around her and they seemed to have grown in number.  He used a few energy attacks but had to be careful to avoid the house.  It had been redesigned to handle energy blasts better but he did not want to risk his children inside or his mother.

He tried to keep his eyes focused on his scared daughter in the clutches of that sick fiend.  She was angry now.  He could tell.  Why couldn't she get out his grasp?  Was she so afraid of the poison?

Vegeta managed to get a weasel!  Kudo's for them.  They had about twenty more to go.

Benot had one attacked to his back and it was busy attacking his shoulders.  He was screaming.  He went to go help his grandchild only to have one attach itself to his leg and start to gnaw away at it.

And through it all.  Drak was laughing!

………………..

"Stop that infernal laughing!"  Vegeta yelled and threw an energy blast and a weasel and it missed his primary target up clipped another one.  Hopefully it would slow it down.

Crystal hated the laugh too. The weasels had a laugh as well.  A low chitter sound that almost made it seem like they were teasing her.

She hated them.

She hated Drak.

She looked over at Trunks and saw that he had two weasels attached to him and he was desperately trying to get them off and Benot was even worse off with three attached and two circling.

Damn them all.

The only way to really stop the weasel things was to get rid of Drak and he had a precious hostage.

She grabbed another weasel and tore it in two.

This was going to take to long, doing this and everyone was getting hurt.

Time for drastic measures.

………………………………..

'Geta eyes were wide with fear and curiosity as he looked out the window.  Bulma held tightly to Bra and Boxer who were terrified out of their minds and too scared to look anymore.  Brennen was beside himself and Cyrus just looked on sadly.

"What is going on?" Brennen said in a hushed voice.

Cyrus answered.  "We are being attacked by one of the strongest enemies that we have ever encountered and it seems that he has improved as well."  He looked over to Brennen who was trying to keep the contempt but was failing.  He wasn't able to follow the battle but he was able to see his wife.  He had to hold him back when that Drak licked her.  He wanted to throw up.

He was making sure that they were not going to be noticed and it was taking quite a bit more concentration than he remembered having to do in the past.  He wanted to keep everyone here safe until they won the battle.

They had to win.

"They are all so fast!"  'Geta said with awe in his voice.  He knew that sound too.  He would have to keep an eye on him.  He was not near strong enough to join the others in battle even though his voice was telling him that he thought he was.

That was when he noticed Crystal was lunging towards Drak.

He lost his concentration but quickly got it back.  He didn't want to look but it was like a slow motion train wreck.  You just have to sit there and watch the horror unfold.

……………..

Benot saw what she was doing.

"No you fool!"  he yelled at her as she charged through the weasels.  They sure were quicker than he remembered and the claws and teeth were sure a lot sharper than he remembered also.  He was tearing at one that was on his arm and was doing a great job on his shoulder, which had already been lacerated by another.

He knew that he couldn't stop her.

He would yell at her later.

If there was a later.

…………………

Vegeta was able to crush another when he heard Benot yell and saw Crystal.  He saw Trunks look also and give out an inarticulate cry.

He did the only thing he could think of.

Try to back her up.

……………………….

He was enjoying what he was seeing.  The girl with the purple hair was quick and did not have any injuries yet, but the others were hurting pretty badly.  If only his brother had used the Warra instead of depending on his men and those boosters that are just to easily removed.  They were willing fighters.  She called them weasels and he did like the sound of that name better.

They were effective little fighters.  Quick and violent.  A little bit bloody, but he could live with himself.

He enjoyed the pain and terror on his captive's face.  Blood trickled out of her mouth and he thought that made her look even more divine.  Her eyes were closed and her whole body was trembling.  Yes, his brother would have like her a lot and would have tried to have wooed her to his side.  He wasn't that polite over things.

He defiantly planned on keeping her.

She even tasted good.

He laughed lowly and whispered in her ear.  "See what kind of power I hold.  I do not know how your father so easily defeated my brother but it won't be as easy with me."

"The stronger you are the weaker the grip," she said through clenched teeth and opened her eyes.  He loved women with green eyes:  Even if there was only hatred to be read in them.

"Ooooh and a wonderful little sense of humor," he said and laughed again.  He was just in such a good mood and he could see how his laughter annoyed the one with the black hair.

Her eye flicked to the left and he saw why but it was to late.


	26. True Battle Chaos

26

True Battle Chaos.

It was like they planned it!  Cyrus grinned.  They had the advantage back!  Yes!  He wanted to jump up and down for joy, but refrained.  He just bit his lip and was very grateful that mom  --- Soyna --- was free now.  Without getting poisoned.

Crystal had lunged forward at Drak. It looked as if Vegeta had practiced the move and Soyna saw it just in time!  Crystal had planted a foot firmly into his face.  Vegeta was right there to tear the hand that held the poisoned noose out of his startled hand before it could tighten and throw it aside without poisoning her.  Vegeta made sure that he destroyed it.

She was free and angry. 

Very angry.  She wiped the side of her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

Brennen let out a breath that he had been holding.

'Geta jumped up, "Way to go sis!"

But the victory was not sweet enough.  Drak was furious and even with holding his bloodied nose he ordered the weasels to attack again.

Benot let out an awful scream.  One of those things attached itself to his neck, but he was able to get a hold of that one and crush it.  Trunk's was in trouble though.  He was being surrounded by 5 of the little devils.

True battle chaos.

It was so horrible.

Crystal lunged at Drak again but this time Drak was not caught off guard.  He was able to block the attack.

Vegeta grabbed Soyna and was trying to drag her out of there.

"Why isn't she fighting back?"  'Geta said angrily.  "She isn't even trying!"  He stood up and leaned against the glass.  "Sis is better than that!"

"She just has to get over the shock," Cyrus said but knew that wasn't right.  She was a fighter.  It was in her core.  This Soyna core did not get shattered.  She should want revenge.  She wasn't even powering up!  She sparkled with energy but she was not any where near her maximum.

She was letting Vegeta drag her away.

Something was wrong.

…………………

Vegeta grabbed one of the stupid little beady-eyed fur balls and snapped its neck.  Soyna gave a low growl.  He could feel that she was trying to power up but wasn't able too for some reason.  He looked at her neck.  The poison did that, inhibited their strength, but he did not see any black marks or blood drawn.

"Pull your self together," he snapped at her but wasn't able to say anything else.  One of the weasels attached himself to his shoulder and he had to fend it off.  When he was able to turn back to her, she was fending off her own set of weasels.  And then there was the other battle.

He looked to Drak and Crystal.  They were really going at it.  And energy blast knocked him back and some of the weasels went crashing down at the energy wave struck them.  Crystal was not holding back but neither was Drak.

He couldn't help but smile.  His little shy granddaughter was a great warrior.  True to his bloodline.  Why had he wanted to miss seeing her turn into such a wonderful fighter?  How could he have forgotten about everyone else?

Cyrus had been right.

He had been selfish.

He was going to miss Bulma and it was not like they told him not to mourn, but he forgot that everyone else was mourning as well.

That had been his shy little granddaughter and he turned her into the warrior by not being there for her and not listening to her.

He was damn selfish!

A slash across his back by one of the weasels snapped him out of it and it was time to get this done.

……………………..

"Sis needs help!"  'Geta said.  Everyone that was in the fight was only paying attention to their part of the fight.  Cyrus looked towards Soyna who was trying to fend off some circling weasels.  "Why the hell isn't she powering up!" 

"Language, 'Geta," Bulma said but the look on her face was asking the same question.  She was not one to play games in fights.  Well, not when it counted.  She never did it when they counted.

Brennen just looked on worriedly.  He knew he was no match for what was going on out there.  He hoped that he remained smart and stayed where it was safe for now.

One of those things slashed her cheek and fresh blood dripped onto her shirt.

"That's it!"  'Geta snapped.  "If no one is going to help my sister, then I am going!"

"No!"  Cyrus said and grabbed his arm.  "It is not safe!  You have no idea how vicious those things can be.  They will rip you to shreds!"

"I can handle myself!"  'Geta said and gave a bolt of power, his hair turning gold.  "See!"  Cyrus lost his grip.  'Geta joined the battle.

Boxer and Bra huddled next to their grandmother and Brennen closed the door so that the weasel things wouldn't come into the house.  At least, not yet.  Bra was crying and Boxer was trying to put on a brave face.

Cyrus wanted to join the battle but knew that he couldn't.

Benot was right.  He couldn't fight just yet.  He wasn't well enough yet.  The dragon moving on his skin was a strong reminder of that.  If he lost control of himself with the dragon being so active, he could destroy everything.

………………………

Trunks panted heavily.  He finally got one of the evil little things.  He never though he would like the feeling of warm sticky blood dripping down his arm, but at least this time, it wasn't his own!

He looked over to Crystal and saw that she seemed pretty evenly matched with that Drak guy.  He looked over to Vegeta, he was trying to work his way to help Crystal.  Benot was struggling trying to get to Soyna.  Soyna…  Why hadn't she powered up yet?  She was trying to get away.  She was just able to defend herself.

That was when he saw 'Geta run from the house.  He got two of those weasel things just by shear surprise.  He was a supersaiyian!  When could he do that?  But he also could see that his son was not going to be a match for the weasels that were now starting to surround him.

"Get back you fool!"  Soyna yelled at him.  "What do you think you are doing?"  Her voice was full of venom.  She let out a scream as one of those things slashed her back.

'Geta kept coming though.  "I am strong enough to help!"  'Geta said and got slashed.

"No!"  He yelled and lunged towards his children.  This is what he didn't want them to have to face!  He had worked so hard so that they wouldn't have to have this happen to them.  He wasn't going to let them down.  He wasn't going to let his hard work end in so much pain!  

………………………

"My," Drak said as he had his hands in a death grip in hers.  "You are prettier up close."  She just snarled at him.  It wasn't a pretty snarl but it didn't mar her beauty in the least.  He should have grabbed her!  There had been no mention of others like this.  He wondered if she was Trunk's daughter as well.  

"Care to dance?"  he chuckled and pushed at her and tried to get a leg behind one of hers but she was quick and didn't allow it.  She pushed back and rose her knee.  He was able to dodge that potentially painful blow.

They were so close that he could _smell_ her.  My, these Saiyian's have a divine smell.  He was pretty sure that is what she was.  It was the only explanation for the smell and the strength… even though the numbers didn't add up from what Ligh told him but the poor boy's information was vague and full of missing holes.  The boy did not fair all that well after the attack that Trunks made on his family.

Oh well, they won't fair well against him.

He licked his lips.  Her face was close to his, so close… he darted forward and kissed her little perky nose.

She flew back as if he had given her some sort of disease and pawed at her face.  "You are the most vile creature in the universe!"  She yelled and she meant it too.  Oh well, guess he can't have everything.

"Oh, come on little missy," he said with his sweetest smile that he could manage.  "We could work so well together and I will make you come with me, by force or otherwise!"

She stuck her tongue out at him.

He let the anger wash over him.

"Do you want to see how vile I can be!"  he yelled.

"Nope," She said and was readying a rather powerful feeling energy attack in her hands.  "I want to see how you look under ten feet of dirt!"  She released the attack and was able to dodge it but was surprised when it circled around again and it nearly got him!  How was she doing that!  My, they were so full of surprises.  If only they could have met on better terms, they could have helped each other out.

That was when he noticed another boy entering the battlefield and running towards the one they called Soyna.  A boy with yellow hair.  Yet another Saiyian.  He should just have destroyed the planet!  They were everywhere!  Damn curiosity was going to get the best of him one of these days.

But… oh yeah.

He dodged the energy ball again.  She was laughing at him.  How could he hate such a melodious sound?

He laughed back at her.

He was always the best at getting the last laugh in.

……………………….

Trunks blew away another one but there seemed to be so many.  They weren't that strong once you got a hold of them, but that was the trick.  He was exhausted from this game of cat and mouse and it seemed like the battle was never going to end.  He had lost count of those weasels.  They were moving faster than he remembered them moving in the beginning and all he could think of was making sure his daughter and son were okay.

'Geta was handling it okay but he was starting to get scratched up.  Soyna stood beside him now and they were teaming up.  She looked as if they were arguing.

Why hadn't she powered up yet?  What was going on here?  The only reason that he knew of that would cause that was…

"No," he whispered. 

He had to get her off the battlefield.  He had to get her to safety.  A claw slashed his back and he felt another on the back of his leg.  He screamed at them and was able to grab yet another and feel that sickening crush of the skull under his hands.

"Soyna!"  He yelled but his voice was drowned out by the laughter of that mad man.  He looked up at Drak who dodged and energy ball that Crystal was controlling.  She threw it at him again.

"See how vile I am little missy!"  he yelled and laughed as he got prepared to block the ball and redirect it.

At his children!

He could see it coming!  That was what he was going to do.  He looked to his father who was being dragged back by clawed hands.  He saw it too.

"NO!"

She couldn't defend herself from something that powerful!  Once it touched him Crystal would no longer be able to control it.

Soyna saw it coming too.  Her eyes grew wide in horror and she gripped her brother's shoulders and threw him to the ground.

He was going to loose them!  He couldn't bear the thought!  His children!  The children he had tried so hard to protect from this!

"Crystal!  NO!"  He screamed but it was to late.  Drak was in position and the energy was going to crush his children!  "NO!"

Soyna dove to cover her little brother and turned her back to the blast.

………………………….

Cyrus gasped and took in a deep breath.  His throat felt like it was closing up on him as he saw her throw herself on 'Geta to protect him.  But what was going to protect her!

The blast was blinding.

He felt the pain in his chest.

"Mother," he whispered.  "No."

…………………………….

Everything had stopped.  It was quiet.  No one moved.  Not even the weaselly things.  They had stopped their attack.

Even Drak had stopped his laughing but he still had a horrible smile on his face.  Crystal hung in the hair with her hands hanging limp at her sides, looking at the horrible crater that had been left by her misguided energy ball.

"No!"  Trunks said and darted into the dust.  "Soyna!  'Geta!"

"Ah, isn't that touching," Drak said as he looked over to Crystal.  "Oops."  He said and chuckled.

The shock left her face and she gave out a horrible scream and she lunged at him.  "Still want to dance?" he teased as he dodged her blows and blocked as best as he could.  He should not have angered her so much.  She was getting faster than she was before!

Benot lay on the ground, gasping for air.  He was covered with blood but he was looking into the pile of dust.  Hoping.

Vegeta was frozen as well.  He kept looking into the dust and then up at Crystal.  The weasels had thankfully not resumed there fighting yet.  He wanted to see if his grandchildren were still alive.  Unfortunately it looked like they were trying to regroup themselves.

Benot stood and started walking in the settling dust.  He was weeping openly and it looked as if he could not use one of his arms.

Vegeta could hear and anguished scream and now he could see his son.  He was kneeling beside two very still forms.

They can't be dead.

Benot dashed forward.

They just can't be.

Benot shook one of the still forms.  Soyna.  One moved.   'Geta moved.  Trunks went to him and held his son.  Soyna was still.  Benot shook her and he could hear his anguished cry.  "Don't you dare die on me!"  He was weeping all out.  "Mom!  Mom!"  He shook her again.

No.


	27. Dealing with Death

27

Dealing with Death.

Trunks could not look at the fallen form of his little girl.  He was weeping over the injured body of his boy, but he was alive.  He could feel that he was breathing.  'Geta just looked stunned.  He had his eyes squeezed shut and held him tight.  "Why did you come out?"  he whispered.  "You are not strong enough for this."  He said and was grateful to hear a grunt from him.

But it was Benot's sobbing that tore at his heart.

He had lost his mother again.

He had lost his daughter.

He could hear the battle still raging on between Crystal and Drak.  He could hear his father yelling.  He could hear the laughing of Drak.  He could hear the chattering of those weasel things but none of that mattered.

His boy was breathing raggedly in his arms.

He couldn't bear to look at his daughter.  He didn't want to know if she was dead.  He never wanted to know.  Never, but Benot's sobs persisted.

"Mom… Come on.  Mom.  Wake up.  Please.  Don't be dead.  Please.  Don't be dead," he chanted.  "You could take a little blast like that.  Mom… Mom… please wake up."

He opened his eyes.

He wished he had not.

She lay limp in Benot's lap.  Benot had a hand on her arm that was trickling with blood.  Her skin was so ashen.  She was so pale.  He couldn't see where she was bleeding.  He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks as he reached over to his little girl.  He remembered how she had looked six years old.  She was such a happy child…He could see her running towards him and scolding him for being gone so long…. He could see her laughing at him when she was two, as they played peak-a-boo…He could remember how he marveled at how small her hands were when she had been born…how fragile she had been.

He looked at her battered still body.  Her limp arm lay over her stomach.  Benot shook her shoulders gently and begged her to wake up.

"NO!"  He screamed!  "NO!  She can't be gone!"  He never felt such anguish or anger in his life!  The death of Gohan did not compare to the death of his daughter!  He felt his body ripple with a deep power that he did not know was there.

He heard 'Geta's voice but it quickly faded.

Drak had killed his little girl!

He could feel his body change with the rage.  He could feel his strength grow and he could feel the rage with greater clarity.

It was his first time at level 3.

……………………………….

"What… is…. Happening?"  Brennen asked in a halted voice.  He looked as if he was trying to fight off tears

Bulma was struggling as well but having Bra and Boxer weeping into her, did not help her push away her own tears.  "Everything will be okay," she said but the words came out in sobs.  She couldn't even convince herself.

"He… no… she…," Brennen stammered and backed away from the awful sight.  He put his hands over his eyes and wept.

"No," Cyrus said between clenched teeth.  Tears were running down his face and his eyes were squeezed shut.  "No."  His voice was deeper and richer that she remembered it being before.  He sounded like he was having trouble breathing and his chest was heaving awfully quick.  Then she noticed something odd.  It was almost like there was a cold draft coming off of him.

"Cyrus?"  she asked hesitantly.

He took a big gulp of air and went back to clenching his teeth.  He had his hands in tight fists and he was shaking.

The whole room was getting colder.

"What is going on?"  Boxer said and he wiped his eyes to look up.

"Grandma?"  Bra said in a scared voice.

"Get out of here… Go someplace safe," Cyrus said through his clenched teeth.  Nope, it wasn't her imagination.  The room was getting colder.  She saw something move under his shirt and thought it best to take his advice.

………………………………….

He couldn't help but cry as he held her to himself.

Benot wished he had been faster.  Maybe he could have stopped it.  She wasn't moving.  He couldn't calm himself down to check her pulse.  He couldn't feel her.  He ran his hands through her hair and gasped for breath.  How could he not have stopped this from happening?

He wanted to curse and yell at Crystal.

But it wouldn't make anything better.

He turned his teary eyes towards Trunks who was now hovering about him.  He didn't think that he ever saw Trunks at level 3 before.  It looked rather cool and he looked right mad.  His hair had popped out of the braid that he normally wore and reached down to the ground in a grand swoop.  He looked down right mean without his eyebrows.  Maybe even a little scary.  He was just glad that the fury was directed at the man that was busy blocking blows from Crystal.  Her form was gone now.  She was just mad.  You can't win a fight with being just mad.  You had to keep your form.  Mad helps.

He just realized that he had powered down, he was no longer a supersaiyian.  He had lost all his will to fight.  He looked over to 'Geta who was looking dazed but otherwise okay.  He wanted to get mad at him too.  What was he doing out in this battle?  He was told to stay behind, but it was no use.  He had no anger.  Just grief.

Those weasel things began their wave of attack again.  He hugged his mother close to him as he could and waited for them to lunge at him.

"Let's get rid of these pest."

That was Vegeta's voice.  He heard Trunks agree.  He didn't have to open his eyes to see what they were doing.  He could hear the crunching and the screaming.  He did open them to see that those pests surrounded them.  There had to be about 50 of them and about twenty lay dead around him.

Vegeta looked beat up and he no longer was at level 4.  He must have lost control of the power but he wasn't at level 3 either.  He was weakening and having a hard time with that.  Trunk's was still at level 3 but he was starting to look worn out as well, but the anger and fury in his eyes held him at such a peak.

'Geta huddled near him, looking scared and confused.  He held one of Soyna's limp hands.

Why was life so cruel?

…………………………………

She couldn't get the guy!  And the laughing was driving her nuts!

She screamed in frustration.  That was dirty pool using her own attack to hurt those she was trying to protect.

"I really hate you," she snarled at him.

"Whatever missy," he said with that equally annoying grin on his face.  "Can't you see that I am going to win?  My little pets are surrounding your friends there and I have you on the ropes."  He laughed.  "Just give up and I shall let you all live; Even those children inside the house that you have been trying to hide from me.  I can be a forgiving man."  He said and chuckled as he looked down at the desperate looking situation.

Benot was not going to be any use to them anymore.  She prayed that she wasn't dead but they were all acting like she was.  And she had never seen her father turn SS3 before!  Wow, but he was still not quick enough.  Vegeta looked hurt and things looked as if they couldn't get any worse.

Of course, she had to think that stupid thought didn't she?

The door blew off the house and Cyrus slowly walked out.

He was breathing quickly and he was shivering.

She did not see him transform before but she didn't have to be told.  When he used the power to try to fix things, he got like that but he was not well enough to grab hold of the power and be able to use it.

"No!  Cyrus!  Go back inside!"  she yelled.  She saw what Cyron could do.  She saw it.  She knew that he could only be stopped by a loved one.  His dearest loved one was now dead.  Of course, that was setting him off.  "No!"

Benot looked up with pure fright.  "You are not well enough!"  He yelled, but did not move from holding the limp body of Soyna.

She turned to Drak who did not know the true extent of the danger that was coming.  He just saw a big kid that was coming out to join them.  That was all.  Another target for him to kill.

He had no idea what he was going to be up against.

The weasel things saw what was happening and were beginning to scatter and cower.  He heard the squeal of one as it backed itself against Vegeta and he crunched it with his boot.  She could see him wince and shake his foot as he did so. She never thought that her grandfather could be squeamish about anything.

"Am I supposed to be scared of him?"  Drak said with a chuckle.

He was not paying attention to how the grass and flowers were freezing around his feet as he walked.  He did not see that Cyrus labored breath formed in front of him.  He was not paying attention to how the air shimmered around him and he was not feeling the impending doom that was going to happen because he angered the wrong person!

…………………………………

Was he supposed to be scared of that boy?  Was that stalking type walk supposed to scare him?  Really?  It was just another kid.

The woman yelled at the boy.  Cyrus.  He wanted him to calm down and go back inside.

And why were his pets acting like that?  They were running!  Well!  "What?" he said and turned back to the woman that he had been fighting.  She was looking down at the boy with fear in her eyes.  

"Fool!"  She spat at him now, turning her anger back to him.  "You had to kill her, didn't you?  Out of every one of us, you had to kill her!  Do you know what you have done?"  she said.

"I plan on killing all of you," he said with a shrug.  "What difference does the order make?"

Cyrus was walking towards the small huddle of people.  They were just watching him and where did all his pet's go?  He couldn't see a single one of them.  If any of them returned, he would kill them.  Why are they all scared of him?  They looked like they were trying to talk to him.  He couldn't make out what they were saying to him.  Why was the ground turning white around the boy's feet?

"You are such a fool!  Do you understand what he is doing?  He is going to devour us all!"  She said and took a swing at him.  He easily dodged it and held on to her wrist.

"Really.  I mean, he is rather large, but I doubt his appetite is that large.  You really should exaggerate."  He said and swung her towards the ground.  She didn't crash into it like he wanted her to but she stood and looked up at him.

"Oh yeah!  He will crack this whole universe!  You are such a fool!"  She said and lunged at him.

He grabbed her hands again and they were struggling for dominance again.  She was weakening slightly though.  He could feel that she was giving slightly.

"Is she gone?" 

He could hear the voice of Cyrus.  It was much deeper than it should be, he was quite certain of it.

The boy that was holding the limp body of Soyna just nodded his head and then covered her body as if he were trying to protect her.

"You have no idea what you released," she growled in his face.

"Oooh, I am so scared."  He laughed.

"You will be," she said.

Cyrus let out a horrible scream then, a scream that turned into a growl type roar.  He looked over to see the boy standing in a swirl of white – it looked like snow -and then his body… there was no other way to describe it… flashed with a white light that did not spread outwards.  It was not like anything that he had ever seen before.

He heard the woman curse and release the grip on his hands and she darted off and stood in front of Cryus.  She tried to touch him but acted as if she had been burnt.  She was different too.  She was not as … well... fury as she had been and looked much slimmer and sleeker.  Her eyes were not as intense either.  Her hair was no longer poofy and fell in front of her face.

He would never be able to keep track off all these people's forms.  Saiyians were just so weird.

Cyrus flashed with that white light again.

What the hell was with that?

She covered her eyes and it sounded like she was begging with him.

"What are you doing?  Are we fighting here or what?"  he yelled at them.  What were they doing?  Abandoning the battle to comfort a temperamental child?

Cyrus turned to him and his eyes flashed red.  Damn, that was the scariest thing he had ever seen his life.  The others seemed to be taken aback and huddled together.

Cyrus then changed.

He hovered in the air and watched his whole body being consumed by the light that wasn't going anywhere.  He watched the body grow with amazing startling speed and watched as a dragon was born.

He couldn't believe his eyes as a green scaled dragon with brown horns formed in front of him.  It's eye's were dark and hallow and full of hate and sorrow.  It was aimed right at him.  The dragon let out a deep growl that sent fear in him that he had never felt before.

It was like some sort of snake with shoulders and arms…  It's body was so long and it coiled around the small group that he had been busy trying to kill earlier as if protecting them.

"Cyron!"  The pretty girl yelled.  "Listen to me!"  She said but he wasn't.  Those eyes were right on him and he knew that he was going to die.  How do you fight a creature like this?

"Cyron!"

He let out another growl and then some deep grumbling words.  "I AM DONE WITH YOU."

"Done with me?"  He said.  "What are you…"

He gasped as he felt the taloned had clutch at him.  He didn't even see it coming and he didn't like the laugh that was coming out of the dragon's mouth.

…………………………………………….

Benot shivered as he looked away from the impending death scene.  He knew what Cyron was going to do and even though, it looked like they were being protected right now, he knew that wasn't going to last long.  Once Krad is dead, he was going to go hunting and it didn't matter who he hurt on the way.

I had taken a lot for Goku to stop him before and the only reason was because Goku had been part of him.

How were they going to stop him?

Cyrus was not good at dealing with death.

Cyron was inconsolable.

He looked down at his mother and bit his lip to stop a new set of tears from forming.  He stroked her face with his bloody hand.  "I am so sorry," he said to her and smoothed out her hair.  She did not deserve to die like this.

That was when he got the most thrilling shock of his life.

There was a tear dripping out of the corner of her eye.  A tear!  That meant… her lips parted slightly and he saw her hands move on her stomach!

"She's alive!"  He yelled and just about started to cry again.  "We got to get her to the 

hospital!  She is alive!"  

They all looked at him with shocked looks.  It was Trunks that responded first and took her into his own arms.  He looked like he was just about in tears as well.  He didn't want to part with her but was grateful when she made a moaning sound.   Everyone else hovered around too.

Crystal had to speak, "For how long.  With Cyron here… he could turn on us all."

He knew that was true.  Cyron was not a friendly creature.

"But she is still alive!"  He said.  "Maybe that will get us Cyrus back before the power consumes him!"

She nodded.

"I will take her to the hospital," Trunks said and looked to his father who nodded his head.  He was going to follow.

"No!"  Crystal said.  "We need her here.  We have to prove to Cyron that she is still alive after he kills Drak," she said.  "It may be our only chance or else we are all dead."

He just nodded.

Good.  No arguemnents here, even though Vegeta didn't look pleased.

Cyron gave a great roar and clutched his hand and Drak was no more.

Now they just had to deal with Cyron.

Drak was easier to deal with.

…………………………..


	28. Calming a Dragon

28

Calming a Dragon

The tail that had circled them and had once protected them no longer did so.

It moved with great speed and the wraith of the dragon was turned to them.

Crystal was scared.  The first time he did this –and the only other time- he looked younger and almost cute, but now, he was mean and angry.  Maybe time had made his features softer in her memory but Cyron sure looked a hell of a lot meaner.  His features were a lot sharper than she remembered and she was pretty sure that those teeth were larger too!  He also seemed a lot bigger as well.  Wasn't he smaller before?

The dragon growled and looked down at them and sniffed the air.

"Cyrus!"  Benot called.  "She is alive!"

The dragon sniffed again and then blew out some air.  How could a creature be so cold?  She was freezing.  It was almost like Cyron was sucking all the warmth out of the air into him.

"Please Cyrus!  Come back to us!  After all this time!"  Benot said.  Boy, she didn't realize how gruesome Benot looked.  He was covered in blood and it looked like it was starting to freeze on his body.  It was quickly turning from that brilliant red to a dull black brown and it looked like it was caking on him.

Gross.

"There is no Cyrus here,"  The dragon growled and sniffed the air again and his head turned to Trunks.  She saw him jump and clutch at his daughter tighter than he had been before.  

"I have to get her help," Trunks said in a surprisingly confident voice.  He sure didn't look confident and he did look a little funny without his hair in a braid, it kept falling in front of his face.  He really needed a haircut.  "She will die if I don't!"

The dragon made a sound like laughter.  "And why should I care?"  The dragon said.  His body wiped around them but not like before.  It was to keep them in check.  "If one of you die!"

Benot yelled.  "It is our mother!  Remember you mother!  She will die if you don't let us get her help!"

The red eyes of the dragon turned to Benot for a second and then back to Soyna in the arms of Trunks.

"That is not my mother," he said.  The circle seemed to tighten.  Damn.  His skin was even starting to form ice and her feet were going numb and was he getting bigger?  She did not like this.   And he sure forgot things a lot quick than last time.  She remembered how Goku had calmed him down by forcing memories back to the surface.  Would they be able to do it this time?  She hoped so.

The dragon smiled all of a sudden and pulled back.  He threw his head back and raised his arms to the sky.  Some ice fell off of his shoulders that had formed there.  He let out an awful sounding laugh, "I AM FREE!"  He laughed.

Free?

Great.  Just great.

"I got to get her to the hospital," Trunks said in a panic filled voice.  He looked to the dragon and was scared.  Vegeta set his jaw and looked at the dragon with uncertainly.  There was no way they could fight the dragon.  No way.  "How do you get him to change back?"

Benot just shook his head and flew up to view the dragon in the eye.  "Please, little brother," he said and the laughter stopped.  "We need you back little brother.  What would I do without you?"

The dragon made a noise of contemplation and looked liked he was sizing up Benot.  It also looked like he could just snap him up in his jaws.

"I can take care of myself now," the dragon said.  "I am THE force in the Universe."  He smirked with satisfaction.  She did not know how a dragon could smirk, but he did it.  This was scary. 

"Don't leave me alone with Crystal!"  He yelled.

"Hey!"  She said and felt herself putting her hands on her hips.  This was no time to start an argument.  Plus, she didn't like how the eye of the dragon turned to her.  Damn.  Before, she was pretty sure there was Cyrus in those eyes, she only saw dragon.

Vegeta put a hand on her shoulder and whispered sharply in her ear; "Don't start a fight now.  Calm yourself down.  Fighting with him after we got Cyrus back."

She knew he was right.  It didn't make her any less mad though.  How dare he insult her like that?  What was wrong with her anyway?

The dragon lifted his chin.  "Why should that matter to me?"  he said  "I have the freedom that I always wanted now."

  
 His whole body rippled and started to expand a little around them.  He was getting bigger.  "I am my own now and I don't plan on being pushed aside again."  And as if to make his point, his large hand swatted Benot down on to the ground beside her.

She rushed to him.  The guy was so hurt; she didn't know he had the energy to even breath.  She would be mad at him later.  His right arm looked like it was useless.  He had tears in his eyes.  "I can't get through to him."  He had that I give up look.

"I will talk with him," Vegeta said.  "Take Benot to the hospital and you take Soyna and 'Geta," he pointed to Trunks.  "I will bring Cyrus to you after I talk him down."

"But how can you talk him down?"  Trunks said.  

"Just go!"  he said.  "I will not have another death on my hands!"  Vegeta said sharply.

Crystal wanted to slap her grandfather but she didn't.  He had to have a plan.  He knew that he couldn't fight the dragon.  How was he going to talk him down?

She picked up the pesky Benot who grumbled about being rescued by a girl but didn't really put up a fight.

Vegeta rose to talk to Cyron who was reveling in his newfound freedom.

…………………………….

Vegeta was glad that Cyron was not even noticing the others leave.  That was good.  He had no idea if it would work, but he had to try.

"Cyron!"  He yelled.

The dragon turned to him.  He certainly looked bigger than before.  How big could this guy get?  He still was not as large as he remembered Shelong being but he must be working his way up.

"No more wishes to grant!  I am free of that curse!"  Cyron said sharply to him.  The former amusement was gone from his tone.  "I will no longer be trapped!"

"But what about your family!"  he yelled.  "You will no longer have them!"

"They are all dead!"  Cyron said with a growl.  The air grew a little colder.  He could see his breath.  The dragon's mouth turned into a snarl.  At least Cyron remembered that he had a family.  There was a little bit of hope yet.

"What about your brother?  What about Benot?"  He said.

The dragon blinked, the red eyes darkened a bit.  "He does not need to worry about me any more."  He said and the red eyes brightened again.  "I am my own!"

Vegeta scowled.  This was going to be hard.  Very hard.   The body of the dragon swooped around him and he felt trapped.  That must have been what Cyron wanted him to feel because the dragon chuckled.  "Nervous, Vegeta?"

"You wanted me to help you!"  he yelled at him.  

"You refused!"  The dragon snarled before he could finish.  Those eyes flared red!

"I had made a new decision!"  Vegeta said.  "I will do what it takes."

The dragon drew very still and leaned closer to him.  Vegeta floated back only to bump into the freezing body of the dragon.  He was like ice.  

"And what decision is that?"  The dragon rumbled.  "Would you be even able to leave your woman?  Would you be able to even do it?"   

Vegeta resisted the urge to bolt.  He had to connect with the boy in there.  Isn't that what Crystal said Goku had done.  He may not be able to do it the same way that Goku had but he had to try.

"I don't even know what I had to do!"  He said.  "But I am willing to do it!"

The dragon scowled at him.  "And let me give up my new freedom?"  He laughed now.  The dragon's laughter was terrifying.  Vegeta hoped that he wasn't too far-gone.  "To be in that little weak boy again!  To not be able to stop anything!  To not be able to fight back.  I do not think so!  I do not like being weak!"

The dragon's body began to move again.  He backed away from the cold scaly body only to find himself right in front of the eye of the dragon: Bright red and full of anger.

"What about all that you have done!"  He yelled.  "All your traveling to find me to fix things!?  Are you just going to throw it all away?"

"It is all over!"  he laughed.  The dragon laughed.  "I am free!"  He started to turn away and its body defiantly had grown.  Yeah.  He wondered what would happen he got to his full size.  "That is all that matters.  I have my freedom.  I do not have to worry about such petty things."

Vegeta felt his blood boil.  "You called me selfish!"

The dragon stopped and he found himself in his grip, not unlike how Drak had been not that long ago and from the look of it, it was the same talon as well.

Disgusting.

He screamed as the grip increased and Cyron's face was right in his.

"Selfish!  I have spent most of my existence granting other people wishes!  People like you that want nothing more than their selfish desires met!"  He snarled.  "Trapped by a curse that I no longer have to follow!  I am my own now.  I do not have to answer to a single other!"  The dragon said let out a laugh.  "You are calling me selfish."

Well, at least he struck a cord.  "Yes!"  He said.  He could barely breathe; the dragon's grip was so tight on him.  "What about those that helped you!"

"Helped me?"  The dragon said.  "They are all gone!  I owe no one a debt."

"What about Cyrus?"  He said.  The dragon grew still and the grip decreased a bit.  He was able to breathe again.  He could have probably got free but he thought it best to wait.  He could be getting through to him.  This was his only chance.

The eyes of the dragon narrowed and darkened slightly.  "What about him?"

"He did not have a choice!"  He said.  It was one of the things that had bothered Soyna that he did not have a choice to carry such a heavy burden.  She did not like her decision but of course, he had put her in that position.  Benot or the unborn child.  Benot had died.  Her only choice was to hope that the child, Cyrus, could forgive her.  And he had from what he understood.  "It was even a hard choice for Soyna."

The grip on him increased again and the dragon made a deep grumbling sound.

He fought the pain.  "He wants to make everyone happy.  He has been trying to fix things so that everyone is happy.  Even you!"

The eyes of the dragon flared red and a blast of cold rose from him,  "He was using my power at his whim!  MY POWER!"

He grunted.  "He was trying to save the universe.  You should know what he was trying to do!"  He said.  "I would hardly call it selfish!"

The dragon growled.  "He just wanted…"  the words were lower, "to be himself."  The eyes darkened again.

Damn it.  Was he getting through to his monster?

The dragon looked to the sky.

"He wanted to make it so that none of this would ever have happened,"  The dragon scowled and frowned and he looked back down at him.

"How is that selfish?"  Vegeta grunted.  If he didn't get out of this blood soaked hand soon, he was going to add to the mess!

"IT JUST IS!"  The dragon roared and those eyes flashed red.  "You are not one to talk!  You started this mess."

"Yes, and I had chose to fix it!" He said and the grip seemed to get worse.  He let go a scream that he couldn't hold back. "Cyrus!!"

The grip loosened.  He looked up at the dragon.  His eyes were black.  Not red.

"Vegeta?"  It was the boy's voice.  "But what if it can't be?"

He just blinked.

"I would rather be strong and unstoppable than that weak boy."  He said.  "I am strong like this."  The eyes were turning red again.

"What good would having all that power when everyone is dead?"  He said.  The grip loosened from him and he quickly darted out of the hand but did not go far.  "What good is having all that power if you can do nothing but destroy with it?  Cyrus was trying to do good with your shared power."

The dragon started to take deep breaths and seemed to calm down a lot.  The air was no longer getting colder.  He did not look as large as he remembered the dragon being, or maybe he had hit the right cord.

"You will go back?"  The dragon asked.

"Yes."

"It may not work."  The dragon said.

"Cyrus was willing to take that chance and so am I."

The dragon just nodded.


	29. Recovery

29

Recovery

Crystal had watched, as Trunks demanded that Soyna get immediate medical care.  The nurse did not think that she was that badly hurt and was about to tell him to sit down and that there were people in front of them.  Hell, Benot had passed out in her arms and poor 'Geta was shaking like a leaf.

That was when Trunks grabbed the nurses arm and in a deep growling voice, "She is pregnant damn it!  She needs a doctor now!"

Pregnant?

Thankfully, Benot was out.  He would have just freaked.  She just about dropped Benot who was shifting uncomfortable in her arms.

They got service right away after that.

Trunks had tried to follow after his daughter but the nurses pushed him back and told him that he should wait until the doctor could see him as well.

"I didn't know she was pregnant," she had said to Trunks who had looked so lost now.  He looked so tired as well.  She wanted to hug him and comfort him, but knew that he most likely would not like it.  She was not his real father.

"That was why she couldn't fight," he said as he looked at the swinging door.  "Damn it.  I should have known sooner."  He looked like he was going to sink to the floor.  She couldn't hold up both him and Benot.  She called for nurses to help her.

Everyone was okay now.

Everyone.

Vegeta brought Cyrus who was now being treated for hypothermia.  She wished she knew how Vegeta talked him down, but he didn't last much longer either.

Benot had already awakened and was refusing to leave the bedside of Soyna.  He had pulled up a chair to the end of the bed and was just waiting for her to wake up.  He refused to move from that point.  He kept patting her leg, as if he had to make sure that she was still there.

She didn't have the heart to tell him that Soyna was pregnant and most likely with him and his brother Legen.

Everyone else was sleeping.

She was the only one that had not been seriously hurt in the battle.  A few scratches and such but nothing very serious, it was more exhaustion than anything else.  Benot's right arm looked like a maze of stitches.  Trunk' had a few stitches on his shoulder and was starting to look pretty bruised up.  Same with Vegeta, they almost had mirror like injuries.

Cyrus was just an ice cube and the doctors were baffled.  She was thankful when Raymond arrived.  He may not be as knowledgeable as the Raymond her time, but he would understand a bit better but at least he could understand Saiyian physiology better.  And he did understand a bit of what happened with Cyrus.

She was the one that calmed the nerves of Bulma and Carmen.  Bra and Boxer kept wanted to see their daddy.  Damn, it was heartbreaking seeing them look at her with those bright big tear filled eyes.  Then there was Brennen who just stood in front of the door looking in on his wife and seeing Benot at her feet made him frown.

She was thankful that it was Bulma that went to talk him.

It was quiet now and she got to take 'Geta, Boxer and Bra home.  They wanted to stay with everyone else but they didn't have much of a struggle.

…………………….

Benot looked up and saw Brennen looking down at him.  He shot up but it hurt too much and ended up back in the chair.  "Please," he found himself saying.  "Don't make me leave her.  Please."  His voice chocked up on him.  He wanted to make sure that she was going to wake up.  He didn't want to leave her.  He wanted to make sure that she was alive.  He didn't want to have the nightmares of her dying.  If she was in the same room, at least he could pretend that she was alive.

He didn't want Brennen make him leave.

Of course, he wasn't glaring at him.

"You don't have to leave," He said and walked in.  He took another chair by the head of the bed took her still hand.  "It's okay if you want to stay."

"Really," he said.

"Yeah."

The room was silent for a bit.  He watched as Brennen smoothed out some of her hair and lovingly touched her lips with his fingers and then looked back at him.  "The doctors say that she is going to be okay."

"Really?" he said.  He was so relieved.  He patted her leg again, just trying to make sure that she was there.

"Yeah.  And so are my children."  He started a bit.  "It was why she couldn't fight."  He put a hand on her belly.  "There are twins.  The doctors say that they are boys."  
  


He gulped.  She was pregnant.  Pregnant.   He looked at her mother.  Yeah.  He should have known.  His birthday was in another 7 months and he was premature.  He should have known.  He looked to Brennen who was now looking at him with sad eyes.

"Bulma told me that you are my son," he said and looked away.  "She said that they didn't want to tell us because they didn't want to jinx things."

"Brennen?"  Soyna spoke in a soft weak voice.  "Brennen?"  Her eyes flickered open and he stood to look down on her.  He hit the chair with the back of his knees and it made a sharp sound as it moved back on the smooth floor.

"Yes?" he said.

Her eyes opened slightly and then she smiled.   It was a pained smile, but at least it was a smile.  "Everything okay?"  she said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked and was near tears.

"I wan… wanted to surprise you," she said and took a deep breath.  Her eyes fluttered… "I wass…. Gon… going to take…"

Brennen hushed her kissed her forehead.  "It's okay.  Rest now.  You need lot of rest."  He said.

She just sighed and closed her eyes again.

He looked at his dad and swallowed.  He really loved her.  He could see it.  It was something that he had never seen before.  She only showed that type of affection for Goten and Goten for her.  He was giving her that look that Goten would give to her.

"It is really okay if I stay?"  He said.  "I just….I…"  how could he say that he wanted to fill like his life was complete for once.  He wanted to get that feeling that he missed back.

"It is okay, but I do rather think, you should rest.  Your arm looks like it has soaked that bandage," Brennen said.  

He blinked and looked at his arm.  Boy, he was right.  He was bleeding quite a bit.  But mom was okay and dad was okay.

But all he could think about was how much he missed home.

Of course, that was all he really knew.  This was all still new to him.

………………………..

"Ow!"  Trunks complained and rubbed his arm that Carmen just slapped.  "Why did you do that?"

"Why?"  She said and her face went all red.  "You had me all worried, going into fight like that!  And getting Soyna involved…"

"…but…"

"She is in no condition to fight and when did you find out that she was pregnant?"

"…but…"

"Acting like a foolish child!"

"…hon?…" he said and flinched.  It looked like she was going to slap his arm again.

"What have you brought onto our family?"

"…dear…"

"Should we be expecting any other creatures to float from the sky?"

"…no…"

"Well, aren't you going to answer me?"  She said and glared at him. 

"It's over now," he said slowly, hoping that she wouldn't slap his arm again.  That hurt.  "Everything will be okay now."

Her eyes sparkled and she was fighting tears.  If he wasn't so sore, he would have got out of bed ad held her but he was grateful that she fell into his arms as he opened them to her.  She rested against his chest.  "Promise?"

"I promise."  He said and reveled in the smell of his wives hair.  He never got tired of smelling that apple shampoo.

"Really promise?"  She said and looked up at him.

"Yes," he said.

She accepted that.

……………………..

"I heard what you said to the dragon," Bulma said in a low voice.  She had been sitting there, silent in that chair for two hours.  He thought that was the longest that he had ever seen her quiet.

He turned to her.

"What if it doesn't work?" she said.

He couldn't answer that.  "I have to try," he said and was surprised at how tired his voice sounded.  He was not as young as he used to be.  Battles took a lot more out of him than they did in the past.

"I will miss you a lot," she whispered and kissed his cheek.  "But I do understand."

He just smiled.

"You get some more rest now," she said.  "Everyone needs to get their rest around here."

He didn't mind just falling asleep.  He didn't mind lapsing into a dreamless sleep for he had all his dreams already happen.  He had to face reality when he woke up and Cyrus got better.

A reality that he had fought hard to avoid but now must face head on.

……………………………………….

Cyrus wanted to make sure that she was okay.  Everyone was telling him that she was okay but he had to see her.  She had looked so dead.  She had looked so gone and yet she lived.

He was still so cold and all his joints ached terribly as he walked with a blanket hunched over his shoulders and his teeth shattering as he did so.

He saw Benot first; he jumped up from his bedside chair.  He was looking quite well, with only a few dressing on his arm.  He was told that he had been sleeping for two weeks.  It was the longest that he had slept in a row.    Of course, it got worse every time that he had to use the dragon's power and this time he had used a lot of the power.

"What are you doing out of bed?"  Benot demanded.  "You are absolutely shaking!"

"I wanted to make sure that she was okay," he said and took a seat next to her bed.  She looked peaceful in her sleep.

Benot whispered harshly, "She just got to sleep.  Don't you dare wake her!   She has been wanting to let her out of the hospital and her and Raymond had been fighting over it."  Benot smiled slightly.  "It is just like home."

He smiled and looked at her.

He so missed mom.

That was when Benot walked in with two cups of wonderfully rich smelling hot chocolate.   He remembered sharing a cup of that with the other Brennen when he was mad at mom for not telling him that he was part dragon.

"Oh.  What are you doing here?"  He said and placed the cups on the table.

"I just wanted to make sure that she was okay," he said through chattering teeth.  They really did not make this hospital very warm.  He would like nothing more than to be relaxing in that bed that he had in Capsule Corp.  At least it felt a little like home, but he had an argument with Raymond too.  He could be so stubborn.

There was a bit of an awkward silence that hung in the air.  He could only think about how wonderful that hot WHITE chocolate would taste like and how wonderful the steam looked.

"You called her mom as well," Brennen said in a low voice, "But you … you are not my son are you?"

Benot looked like he was going to fall out of his chair.

It stunned him as well.

"They didn't need to tell me that.  I knew that somehow that you couldn't be my son, but she is your mother."  His voice was solemn and he chewed his lip in an almost nervous gesture.  

Cyrus was so stunned that he just nodded.

 Brennen reached for the cups.  "Here.  It looks like you need this much more than I do," he said with a very sad smile.  He handed him the delicious smelling cup and gratefully took it even though it felt like hot coals on his hands.

"You are not upset?"  Benot asked as he righted himself in the chair.  "We thought you would be upset."

"I was at first, when I realized it," he said and handed the other cup to Benot.  "But with everything else weird that has been going on around here, I would like to know… if you can tell me… who your father is?"  He was looking straight at Cyrus with a look of dread and anticipation.

Cyrus took in a deep breath and taking the glorious smell of the drink that he held in his hands.  "He won't exist in this time, if that helps ease your mind."  He said.  "He was there when mom had no one.  She had lost you and he came to her aid, even if she was stubborn about it."

"No kidding," Benot grumbled.  "The damn wimp was always there!"

"He is … a good man then." He said and took a big gulp of air, as if he was trying to swallow something that was distasteful to him.  "He treats her well."

"Yeah.  When she lets him," Cyrus smiled and looked over at the still sleeping woman in the bed.  "You know how stubborn she could be and how sometimes, she didn't want anyone to watch over her."

Brennen nodded.

Cyrus took a sip of the drink and wanted to gulp the warm delicious drink and savor it at the same time.  It felt as if his insides were going to melt.  This was the best stuff in the world, he was certain of it.

"I didn't pay much attention when everyone started talking about time travel and all that.  I never really thought it made much sense," he said.  "I guess I should have paid more attention, huh?"

"It is pretty hard to wrap your head around," Benot said.

Brennen nodded.

Cyrus looked at his would be mother.

He so wished he could go home.

….


	30. Not Again

30  
  
Not Again  
  
Bulma beamed. "Finally everyone is home!" She said. "Carmen and I spent all morning in the kitchen cooking up food for you all. I know that you will all be hungry after just eating hospital food."  
  
And she knew she was starving.  
  
They were all alive and well. Still a little bruised and a few bandages here and there but none were worse for ware. It had been a month since the attack and everything just felt peaceful again.  
  
Crystal grinned widely. She had even been having dreams again. Good dreams, not the terrible ones and she just knew that things were going to have to turn out okay in the end. There even was a promise of a boyfriend in her dreams, even though they were rather vague on it. She hated that. When it came to everyone else, she could see clearly but as soon as she was in the thick of things, the dreams got murky and symbolic. It wasn't fair. She would like to know who he was before she turned him away by accident. She knew that he was blonde. She only knew that much. she hated the vagueness of her dreams sometimes.  
  
But she was used to it now.  
  
It was something that she had to live with.  
  
Everyone. and I mean everyone. was doting on Soyna. Soyna would almost growl and snarl at anyone who would dote on her and announce that she wasn't a glass doll, but they would do it anyway. Trunk's was constantly asking her if she was comfortable or if she wanted a drink. Vegeta was always telling her to sit down. Brennen refused to leave her side the whole time and would constantly ask if she was feeling okay and Benot would ask awkwardly if there was anything he could do. She thought that Soyna was going to burst soon.  
  
It was humorous.  
  
Peaceful.  
  
There was a sense that she could actually rest here and not worry about shadows creeping into her dreams.  
  
They were asking if she wanted more food and Soyna shook her head. "You need to eat or else those babies won't grow to be big and strong."  
  
"I can't eat anymore," Soyna whinnied. "Damn it. I'm stuffed. Okay. Raymond says that everything is okay. Don't worry so much, all of you. I am not made of glass."  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. He had heard this argument before. "Then let's go for a walk to work off all that food that you shoveled into you." He said and stood.  
  
"I don't know if that is a good idea," Brennen said. "Shouldn't she be resting?"  
  
"I will be fine," she snapped at him and he started back a bit. "I am not going to sit on my butt and turn into a whale."  
  
Benot was the one that laughed this time. He heard that one as well.  
  
It was almost, like, she was home. It had been a long time since she had felt that way.  
  
...............  
  
Bulma had made sure that there were hardly any signs of damage left from the little skirmish. Crystal was grateful. She did not want reminders of that day. No one did. With everyone home it was an easy feeling.  
  
Even with everyone still recovering a bit from the battle, it was like there was never going to be another threat again. Of course, that had never happened before. Two enemies. Cyrus was recovering well. That she was grateful for even though she was not looking forward to leaving here.  
  
She liked it here.  
  
She had nothing to look forward to at home if they ever made it back.  
  
She had tried to talk to Cyrus about when they would try, but he just shook his head and said that he would talk to Vegeta when the time was ready.  
  
She didn't like that he was not as open as he was about the other times. She was pretty sure that he was hiding something, but she really didn't have a reason to think that he was.  
  
But he was the one that did all the work so she couldn't really complain.  
  
She looked over and saw Vegeta walking with Soyna. They had a long walk. From the look on their faces, she was pretty sure that they were talking about the other time. Crystal wondered if Vegeta would tell her what caused the feud between them in the other time.. Oh, that was so long ago.  
  
The 'boys' were playing loudly around the other side of the house. He could hear them yelling at each other. Must be football or something. She thought she heard one of them yell touchdown. Not that they should be playing such a rough sport when most of them were whimpering about their stitches hurting. Men.  
  
It really was going to be a shame to leave.  
  
She turned to go back into the house but a strange figure stood looking a little nervous just outside the gate. He was half hidden in the shadows, but he didn't look like he was looking for their concealment. He didn't even look threatening but there defiantly something familiar about him. (She was pretty sure it was a guy)  
  
"Who are you?" She demanded.  
  
The figured jumped slightly and then brought himself to a proud stance and rose out of the shadows.  
  
She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Great. You again."  
  
................  
  
"I don't come to cause any more problems," he said in a calm voice with his hands held loosely at his sides. He could feel the eyes on the back of his head as his so-called bodyguards tensed. Like they could protect him from these people.  
  
"Yeah, right," she snapped at him. "You are nothing but problems for me!" She was getting angry. Her skin was beginning to sparkle with power. Her knew that his whole army was not a match for her, never mind that dragon thing that emerged that killed his uncle. But that was not why he was here. "Geez, we are in no shape for another fight but I am sure I could muster enough power to kill you and those guys creeping behind you."  
  
They did not know his side of the story.  
  
Hell, if they did, a lot of this stress would have been reduced to nothing.  
  
Trunks just attacked. If he could have heard him out, he would have joined him in attacking his father. He had just found out, before the attack that his father had planned on sending him to Len and planned on having him killed there by some assassin that he had hired. Father did not like the fact that his son was different than him and was not the same type of dictator that he was. Also learning the fact of how his mother had died, sure didn't help their relationship.  
  
But Trunks acted as if he was still on good terms with his father and he was nearly killed by him. He had a slight limp now and a rather horrid scar on the side of his face that he tried to keep hidden by growing his blond hair longer, but he knew it was there and knew how very visible it was.  
  
He did not hold a grudge for the scar though. Trunks as just trying to defend his family.  
  
It took him a lot longer than he thought to recover from the attack and he was pretty sure his uncle had something to do with it. He did not know that his uncle planned on revenge on this planet until they arrived and he was far to weak to stop his uncle.  
  
Not that he was sad to see him gone.  
  
He now had control of two armies that turned to him for guidance and leadership: Two very nervous armies.  
  
He was the ruler of the complete Wodah's empire now.  
  
Not that it counted for much right now.  
  
He knew that these few half saiyians could destroy him and his army if they threatened them. He had listened to Trunks words about how he was not going to have his family destroyed. How it was the only thing that really mattered. His daughter had been so important that he was performing a preemptive attack that could have got him killed.  
  
Such strength and honor.  
  
His family was once like that.  
  
He was hoping to bring the honor back.  
  
He looked at the spitfire in front of him. She was not moving towards him or away. Such a fearless woman!  
  
"Well!"  
  
So brash as well.  
  
"I came to thank you and apologize to you all." He said, still trying to look passive and hide the scar on his face at the same time. He made sure that his hands remained loose at his side. He couldn't guarantee what the men behind him were doing but he hoped they had enough sense in there heads not to reach for their guns or anything.  
  
She gave him a confused look. "What? Thank us? Are you trying to trick us? For what? Apologize?"  
  
"For being able to stop my uncle." He said. "I had no idea that his plans were to attack this planet until we arrived."  
  
"Yeah, right," she snorted. "I am so sure that you are so innocent and a changed man." She sniffed loudly. "Leave before I kill you, will ya?" So flippant.  
  
He blinked. Well, he couldn't possibly expect a, 'gee, you're welcome. Can't we all be friends now'. What had he expected? He didn't know but he had felt like he had to talk to these remarkable people.  
  
He took a step forward. How was he to explain himself to these people? What had he done to spurn them so? "I wanted to also extend my apoloo." he couldn't finish his words as a arm wrapped around his neck in a very tight choke hold.  
  
..........  
  
She saw Trunks lunging forward to attack Ligh and didn't stop him. Why should she? She wasn't to sure what this guy wanted but she was pretty sure that he was bad news. He had never been good news in the past, so why would it be good now.  
  
She saw ten men emerge with their hands on guns but they did not draw one as Ligh raised his hand to them. She only had counted five. she shook her head. She was loosing her touch.  
  
Ligh had not been paying attention or was hoping to impress them with his passivity. Trunks easily got him in a headlock and held him firm. His blond hair, which was a little darker than she remembered it being back in her original time, flew back from his face and showed a thick scar that crossed from his lower left jaw, over his nose bridge and over his right eye. The right eye was slightly darker than the other one now.  
  
She wondered where he got that wound?  
  
"What the hell?" Trunks growled. Boy, he was angry.  
  
"He came to apologize and to thank us," she said and walked forward. She wasn't sure what to make of this Ligh. He defiantly was different from her time, but she didn't know what it was about. Of course, this Ligh was a man, not a boy.  
  
"Apologize!" Trunks growled. He was ready to go into a speech. She was pretty sure of it from the look on his face. He was doing a pretty good job of cutting of his hair. His men were getting ansty but they were not approaching. That was very smart of them. She could kill them without even so much of a second thought.  
  
"Let's hear him out," She said and was even surprised as she said it. Of course, her dreams had been good lately. Or was he playing a trick just like his father once did to them? Damn. Things change so much when you meddle with time. "It can't hurt."  
  
Trunks let him go and with a growl, "One wrong move and I will finish off your face!"  
  
Oh, so dad gave him that scar. sorry, Trunks.  
  
"Understandable sir," Ligh said and rubbed his throat and took some deep breaths.. He was a contradiction. This was not the same Ligh that she knew that had gone; well, a little nutty in jail. This guy was composed and sure of himself. well, for being threatened anyway. "I will say my piece and then leave. I do not wish to cause unwanted stress to your family." He waved to the men that had been approaching and they backed away.  
  
Trunk's was going to go off again.  
  
"Say it," she said and moved beside Trunks to keep him in check. She didn't want to hear about the agony that they caused again. It was best to leave it in the past. She knew about the agony and really didn't want to hear it again.  
  
He cleared his throat and arranged his hair so that it hid his darker eye. "I did not want this to happen. I did not really understand the motivation for the attack on my family but it is not like I will miss my father.."  
  
He sounded so sincere as he talked and she wasn't getting that bad vibe again.  
  
Maybe this Ligh was different?  
  
He looked as if he was willing to accept death if that is the only other option they offered him.  
  
".leave this planet in peace and even protect it if that is what you wish."  
  
He finished talking. How long had he talked? She wasn't to sure, but she had stared at him for the whole time, looking for clues that he was lying and didn't see one. He seemed to be telling the truth. He also seemed to be better built that she remembered the other Ligh was.  
  
Trunk's was silent.  
  
"I am not offering a fight," he said. "It is one of the ways that I differ from my father."  
  
"How do we know that you are not trying to trick us?" she said and took a step towards him.  
  
"I have seen you destroy my Uncle. I do not want to have your wraith on my head or my peoples. I do plan on changing things to the way that they once were," he said and the whole time he spoke with a deep sure tone and his head raised high. Damn it. He wasn't lying.  
  
"I don't trust you," Trunks whispered. "I will not let you hurt my family."  
  
Ligh just nodded. "Then I will leave." He started to limp away and Trunks grabbed his arm.  
  
"How do I know you won't come back?" Trunks said.  
  
"You don't," Ligh said and limped away.  
  
..................  
  
"I don't trust him," Trunks growled. He had never met the other Ligh in the other time. He did not see the need to. He looked over to Crystal who was watching him walk away with a slightly tilted head.  
  
He did not like the way she was looking at him.  
  
"I don't know. He doesn't seem like he is trying to deceive us." She said. "He is not like the other Ligh that I encountered." She looked at him. "I think we should go talk to him some more."  
  
"Are you crazy!" Trunks snapped at her.  
  
"I have been called that!" She said. "Damn it. Time changes everything! Everything changes in Time! Yada yada yada," she said. "Maybe, this Ligh is as noble as he makes himself up to be."  
  
"He is the one that killed your father! You told me that!" he blinked at her.  
  
"HE did not kill my father. I don't think he is capable of that," she said. "Plus, I have not been having any bad dreams lately so it has to be good."  
  
"Dreams?" Trunks said as he watched her walk after Ligh. The enemy. "What the hell are you talking about? What do dreams have to do with any of this?"  
  
..........  
  
"What that who I think it was?" Vegeta growled. "Why didn't you kill him?"  
  
"He is not the same Ligh as we encountered before," Crystal hissed at him. "I'm not just going to finish him off for kicks!"  
  
Benot was fuming. "He deserves to die!" He growled. He was shaking. Boy, this was going to be a bad argument.  
  
Everyone had watched Ligh walked way. They were seeing why it was taking Trunks so long to get the football and saw him wander off.  
  
"He is not the same guy! Man. I have been having nothing but good dreams lately. Isn't that a good sign?" Crystal said with her hands on her hips and a very determined look on her face.  
  
"I still don't get the dream thing!" Trunks said with his arms folded tightly to his chest and a stern look on his face. She seldom saw him look so much like his father.  
  
Cyrus spoke up. "It is a good sign." Even though he wasn't answering the question. "No shadows in your dreams."  
  
"None. They are clean." She said. "I think it is the first time that I slept so well in years!"  
  
Trunks face-hardened further. He did not like the fact that his question was being ignored.  
  
"You can't believe him though," Benot said. He was pacing rather furiously. "I can't go through this again. Damn it! I thought it was going to be over! I do want to deal with it. Not again!"  
  
"It will be over," Cyrus sighed. "You know how interference in a time changes things."  
  
Crystal put her hands on her hips and stood up to Benot. "Well, you will see how different he is tomorrow."  
  
"What? Why? What is happening tomorrow?" Benot snapped.  
  
"I invited him over so we can get everything out in the open. If I have a bad dream tonight, I will let you know and we will make sure that he leaves us alone again, but if I only dream of good things and you will hear what he has to say!" She said. "AND THAT IS THAT!"  
  
Bulma smiled.  
  
She was so much like her.  
  
................. 


	31. Tokens

31

Tokens

"She has sure turned out to be a pushy woman," Vegeta growled.  He was referring to Crystal.  She was still arguing with Benot and it was beginning to look they were going to have their own war.

Cyrus just smiled. "Yeah.  I know."  But the smile quickly left his face as he sighed heavily.  "Vegeta.  We need to talk, right away.  It …If you don't mind."

Vegeta nodded.  He didn't like the troubled look on the boy's face.  He hoped that it had nothing to do with the appearance of this Ligh fellow.  He didn't even recognize him when he saw him and did not react, as he probably should of.  He was busy talking with Soyna about her children that she was carrying.  He was talking about how he was grateful in having had them in his life and even how proud he was to be a grandparent and was glad that he got to know her as well.  It was hard for him, but he felt that he had to say it.

It was more of a practice for what he had to tell the other Soyna.

He followed the boy to a private room and watched him sink into a chair.  "What?"  He said, not meaning to have impatience but he could still hear Crystal and Benot's raised voices in the other room.  They sounded like they were going to kill each other.

But then, he noticed, they always were like that.

"We should talk about preparing.  I won't be well enough for awhile, but I need you to be ready."  Cyrus said and ran his hand through his hair and with a heavy sigh, he groaned, "You have to be ready."

"What do I have to do?"  He said.

"It won't be like what Crystal and Benot talked about.  This one will be different.  They are not coming with us.  They are staying behind."

He found himself a seat and listened with curiosity.

"In the other times, we were time traveling, fixing the repairs and rifts and then sealing them.  Making it so that time, went back on track so that there are only a few time lines in existence now, not the multitude that grew out of your travels.  Of course, we also had to keep in place the primary time lines.  There are 4 now.  Yours, this one, the one where Benot came from and another that is distant and fading but must exist in order to keep the other three in place.  I really don't want to explain temporal physics but you get the drift of what I did.   What we are going to do will change only change one.  My time."  Cyrus said with a deep breath.  "We will be going back in time but we will going back into our memories."

"What?"  He did not understand what he was saying.

"I will be taking you back in time to the time where you gave me this," he pointed to the scar on his cheek.  "And you will try really hard to remember what this whole thing caused and the nightmare that came out of it.  It is… It will be hard for you to remember.  Really hard.  All of this, you may not even have an inkling that it happened and it will all fail but you have to remember a few things if you can so that this nightmare does no happen, so I don't spend most of my youth fighting off the dragon inside of me."  Cyrus lowered his head.  "And missing my family.  The cycle will never end then and we are all doomed."

Talk about pressure.

"But if you remember, you will not attack me or hurt Benot.  Mom will never turn into that monster and things will be okay," He said in a low voice as he looked at the hands in his lap.  "That is the most important thing for you to remember.  It will be hard because you will still be feeling the grief from Bulma's death and witnessing her funeral.  It will be really hard for you to remember but you must!  You have too!"  His voice pleaded and so did his eyes.

"And you also must remember to destroy that silver ball when you go back.  I will work because the time lines won't be distorted but it is dangerous to have around me.  If I touch it, I will be split again and I really don't like being this way."  Cyrus said as he looked at him with those large innocent eyes of his.  He rolled his shoulders as if the tattoo was bothering him.

He just wanted to be whole again.

"I will try," he said.

Cyrus shook his head.  "No, Vegeta.  You have to and you have to when I say that I am ready.  I am not strong enough yet to hold him back and use the power.  I have to build up my strength."

"You are such a self centered BITCH!"  Benot screamed.

"ARROGANT ASSHOLE!"  Crystal bellowed after him.

Cyrus sighed.  "I should stop those two before they start to fight.  Benot does not have a chance against her."  He got up slowly and put a hand to his head as if it were hurting him.  "The sooner the better but I am afraid that… I won't be ready for awhile but you should say your goodbyes."

"What about those two?  Have you told them anything?"  Vegeta asked.

Cyrus shook his head.  "Do not tell them that they are not leaving.  I do not want problems with them and they will be better off here."  And then he walking into the room were they were still arguing and yelling at each other much to the amusement of Boxer and 'Geta.  It looked like they were taking notes.

He shook his head.  He had a lot to ponder.

…………………………………..

He had been quite surprised to see that woman invite him over to talk with everyone.  He was not too sure he wanted to do that after the wonderful greeting that Trunks gave him.

He was a threat and knew that going down there when he did could have been the death of him.  His father's old advisors and his uncle's advisors all looked at him like he was a mad man.  He would have to get rid of them soon.  He did not like their advice.

He didn't even realize that he was going until he was trying to pick out clothes.  He didn't know why he was trying to impress them with clothes.  What good would it do?  He really had no intention of starting a war that he was going to loose and all his people will surly parish if there was one.  Yes, they were injured right now and down a bit, but it had looked like his uncle was going to win and poof, they pull a dragon out of their hat. He did not want to encounter any other surprises.

He was going to meet her… them.  He shook his head and smiled at himself.  He had to admit that she was a beautiful woman.  He usually did not let his head be turned so easily… he had seen how his father used women in his days and did not care for it.  Most of them had deserved so much more respect than he was willing to offer.  He shook the thought off and picked out the best outfit that he had.  He did not want to appear too passive.

……………………………………..

Crystal had a stupid grin on her face.  Man, how he hated her right now.

Benot didn't say a word to her.  He wanted too, but Cyrus was glaring at him and he had promised that he wouldn't fight with her for a couple of days.  It was so hard especially when she had that stupid grin on her face!

She said that she had wonderful dreams last night and had a good feeling about today.

He hadn't slept at all and had dreams filled with old nightmares and deaths and she was sleeping like a baby!  Man, how he really hated her.

"Trust her dreams.  They have always turned out in the past," Cyrus had said.

Bah.  Half the time it took them to long to figure them out!  Now she was bubbly and even dressed in some new clothes!  When did she have time to go shopping?  Women!

……………………………………….

"Don't you want to go and see what this guy is going to say?"  Bulma asked.

"No." he said.  He didn't care about that.  He understood that Crystal dreams were pretty clear on things and he was not worried, plus, she was stronger than he was, he did not have to worry about her.  She could take care of him.  They guy was a weakling without energy boosters.

"Why not?"  she said.

"Cyrus said that we might be leaving soon."

"Oh," she said and rubbed her hands on her pants.  "Do you know when?"

He shook his head and looked at the floor.  He did not know how much time he had with her and then, he would be alone. … well, he knew that he wasn't going to be truly alone.  That was one thing that he learned… he had his family and that is what counted.  It was still going to be hard without her but he knew that he could do it now.

He felt her hand on his chest.  He had not noticed that she had moved closer to him.  Her other hand touched his side and she did that innocent-ole-me look at him.  "Well, we better make those moments memorable, shall we."  How can she do that look and be so evil at the same time?

He must have rubbed off on her.

……………………………..

"What?!"  Benot yelled and threw a crumpled piece of paper across the room.  "I can't believe!!!  AAAAAH!"  He pulled at his hair.

"What is your problem?"  'Geta liked Benot but sometimes he did very weird things and this was one of them.  First he got all pale as he read that piece of paper and then he throws a tantrum.  He could just be very weird at times.  He acted like Boxer.

He took a few deep breaths and seemed to calm down.

"That _woman_ has decided to take the whole issue with Ligh into her own hands!"  He sounded as if he were talking through his teeth.

Boy.  He hoped he wasn't going to act like that when he got older.  Adults were just too weird.

'Geta grabbed the crumpled piece of paper and read the note.

_I will deal with this.  Benot does not understand but I do._

I will be back soon.  Cyrus, don't wait for me and don't worry 

_about me.  I am a big girl now and know how to handle this_

_situation.   I will be back in a couple of days and I will prove_

_to all of you that Ligh is not the same evil one that we met_

_before.  And if you are reading this Benot, get a life of your own_

_already!  I know what I am doing.                   …………………_

_                                                            Crystal_

He had the note torn from his hands.  Vegeta: His grandfather and namesake.  He would never admit it to anyone but he was a little intimidated by him.  He was so sure of himself and strong.  He wasn't anything like that.  Soyna was like that though and ever since his arrival, everyone has been saying so.  For such a small guy, he sure had a presence.

He wanted to be like him but he couldn't see himself become that way.  He was just so… different.

"What the hell does she think she is doing?"  Vegeta growled and smoothed out the note.  "What does she plan to accomplish?"

Benot just shook his head.  "She is crazy!  I tell you!  I think those dreams of hers have scrambled her brains a bit."  Benot said.  He had calmed down quite a bit and he looked almost sad.  "We can't just leave her behind!  That is madness!  I can't believe that she would even suggest it!"

Vegeta just grunted and the note went into Cyrus hands.

He had not been scared of Cyrus at first.  He wasn't a scary man.  He was big and all, but he seemed so kindhearted, until he saw that dragon crawling around on his skin and emerging from him.  It had been terrifying seeing him turn into that dragon.  It was not something that he thought could ever happen.

It was just scary.

For a guy that looked so kindhearted there was a lot of turmoil beneath his exterior.  

Grandma snatched the note from Cyrus before he could comment.  "She is being stubborn.  That is what you guy's get for shunning that Ligh fellow.  He seemed nice enough to me."

"Oh, and you are such a great judge of character," Vegeta snorted and then flinched slightly at the glare that she sent him.  It was funny seeing such a strong exterior crack with a look of a woman.  He wasn't going to let that happen to him when he was older.

"He obviously said something to impress her," Bulma said.

Bra piped up then.  "She said she though he had a nice ass."

He tried really hard not to laugh as the adults all gave her that type of look that only adults have.

Boxer was not successful in stifling his laughter.

……………………………………….

The meeting between Ligh and the Z group did not go well, as you can guess.  The tension in the room was unbelievable and Ligh went into further detail of why he wanted to have peace between them and how he was even offering help.

It was too much like the horror stories that the future Soyna had told them.

Benot was determined to undermine everything that Ligh said and do.

Trunk's was the same way.

An understanding was made though.  They had to leave each other alone. They couldn't co-exist and they would leave each other alone.

Of course, Crystal thought he was genuine and was out to prove it to them all.

"What?  Do I have something on my shirt?"  Ligh said wiping at the front of his shirt.

"No, no," she said with a sigh.  "I was just thinking that I have to be getting back that I all.  Benot probably blew his top when he read that note.  They will just never understand that you are not the same guy that we are used to encountering."

"Can't blame them," he shrugged.  "I won't try to force and alliance.  I believe that is what my father had tried to do."  How could he be so calm about this whole thing?  Crystal wanted to slap him but she held herself back.  "I do have to leave.  I have an empire that has to be maintained before some other tyrant comes in and ties to take things over.  It is hard to believe but there are worse people out there than my father and uncle."

"Damn it. After all this time, they still don't trust my dreams.  It is quite annoying!  I mean.  I haven't had a single nightmare since your uncle died and that is a really good thing," she said.  She had tried to explain to him about her dreams but she felt that he doubted them as well.   "It is all that I can go on."

"You could come with me," he said with a slight blush on his face.  He looked away and lowered his head so that his hair fell over his face.  He always did that when he felt particularly conscious of his scar.  He had been doing that a lot lately.  "If you want too."

"You know that I can't," she said and looked down on earth.  She had been doing that since she has been aboard his ship.  She had seen tones of pictures of earth.  They are plastered everywhere but none of it makes up for the real thing.  "I have to go home."

"I had to try," he said and flashed that charming smile of his.

They stood in silence and looked down at the earth for a bit. 

"I will keep my word to you," he said.  "I will make sure that no one intrudes in this sector again, and with the death of my father and uncle, little explanation will be needed."   He turned his back to the window.  He kept his eyes straight at her and he didn't bother hiding his injured eye from her like he usually tried too.   "I do hope that when I am able to visit again, you will still be here?"

"I may not be," she said.  "I have to go home.  As soon as Cyrus is better, we should be able to go home again."

He tilted his head slightly.  "What does home offer you?  You do not sound to anxious to go back.  From what I understand, I really messed things up for you in that time.  It is why the others will not have anything to do with me."

"But it is where I belong."  She said.  "I do miss my mom.  She did not take the death of my father and Gem.  Well, none of us did."  She couldn't help but frown.  "It was a battle that should have never happened."

He put his hand on her shoulder.  She didn't shrug him off.  "But it is home and it is what is left of my family."  She looked right at him.

"I understand."  He said in a whisper.  How did she allow him to get so close?  She could almost _feel_ him.

He then pulled back from her.  "I want you to take this with you then."  He picked up a small box.  "It is not much, but it all I can offer you.  It was my mothers."

A small box.

It is amazing how when you are younger how a small box would make you groan with disappointment on your birthday.  Things sure change when you got older.

A small box.

"Open it," he said with a smile.

She did and smiled brightly at the necklace inside.  It was a simple gold chain with a small blue and almost glowing stone on it.  Very pretty.

"Do you like it?"  He said.  "I have no one else to give it too and it matches your eyes, well, when you are not angry.  I do not think there is a stone in the world that matched the green your eyes turn, when you are angry."

She wanted to cry but she held back the threatening tears and nodded her head.  She didn't want to touch the stone but she found herself winding the chain around her fingers and admiring the simple but perfect stone.

"I…" she began.

"Don't say that you can't take it because I can see that you love it."  He smiled brightly.  "If I am never going to see you again, you might as well take it.  It suits you, anyway."

"I will wear it always," she said and pulled back her tears.  She didn't want him to see her crying.  "Promise."

He smiled and nodded.

Damn.  This felt like a dream she once had.

…………………………

Vegeta had never purchased anything like this before.  He had never even thought of buying anything like it.  He never had a ring and neither did she, even though she hinted at it from time to time that she would have liked one.

But what did women like?

That was one of the things that he had asked Soyna.  She was not that big on jewelry either but she did wear a ring that Goten had bought her for their wedding and she seemed to adore it.  He noticed that she did wear a ring that Brennen had bought her as well.

Vegeta felt foolish doing this but…

…it was a way to make up for all that he had done to her.  Even if it was just a simple token, he was sure that she would treasure it.

If only it had not taken him so long to realize how important she was to him.

"That one.  Oh, I am so sure that she will like that one," Soyna said and pointed to a ring in the display.  They all looked the same to him until the sales lady pulled it out.  "Grandma will love it.  I am so sure of it."   She took it from the lady and held it up to him.  It was a simple ring.  "This way she can wear it all the time and it won't get caught in machinery.  This way, she won't have to worry about taking it off and losing it.  You know how absent minded she could get when she is working."

It had a simple white clear stone.  He believed it was called a diamond.  Beautiful.  It would suit her.

He nodded.

Soyna did the purchasing.

She came back with an elegant looking dark blue velvet box with a silky bow.  "I had it wrapped for you since your men usually don't think about such things."

He nodded his thanks and she smiled at him and shook her head.  "What?"  He said.  

"Are you going to leave it on her pillow or hide it a cupboard in the lab for her to find later?"  She said.

"What?"

"I may not know you that well Vegeta but I know you well enough," she said and tossed the box in the air.  "You don't have enough guts to hand it to her."

She was probably right.  He held the box.  Could he hand it to her?  He didn't know if he could.

…………………………….

Cyrus sighed as he read the note again.  Crystal was being so brash.  He had to stop Benot from going after her.  He felt that she was safe, even though he had no reason to justify why he felt that way.

"She better come back," he said with a growl and went to go train with 'Geta and Boxer to get some of the aggression out of his system.  He still didn't understand why he was always so angry with her.  He guessed it was how they both handled dealing with such great losses in their lives.  It was better to be mad at someone else than themselves.

How long had it been?  4 days.

He sighed heavily.

He was feeling much better today and knew that it wouldn't be long now and he was worried how everyone will take their abrupt departure.  He was certain that Benot was going to be furious but he wasn't too sure about Crystal.  He was pretty sure that she was going to like it here.  She acted like she was home.

"Hey."

He looked up and there was Soyna, looking so much like mom but with a gentle smile that he had seldom seen on his own mother.  She wasn't showing yet but her clothes had become baggier since her leaving the hospital.  She probably was showing under that big shirt.  He had never seen his mother pregnant.  He had the memories of the others of how she looked when she was with child and she always had that look that was just a little bit more peaceful.

"Hi," he said.

"When are you leaving?"  she asked and walked forward and took the big comfy chair and pulled her legs under herself as she looked at him.  She pulled one of the medical books from the table beside her and opened it but it didn't look like she was going to read it.  She was still working on getting that nursing diploma.

"In a little while." He said.

She gave him that look.  It was a look that he knew from the memories that he held and it made him swallow.  "You weren't planning on telling anyone, were you?  Not even Tobe, or should I say Benot."

He must have had a shocked look because she gave him a chuckle.  "You all should know that you cannot hide things from me for very long.  I still don't know all the details but I have decided that it would be better if I did not know.  Plus, when I am not around, or you think that I am not around, you all call him Benot.  And I do have some memories that were a little foggy from the hospital."

He blinked at her.  "We just didn't want to hurt you."

She nodded her head.  "I understand.  The news was all quite shocking to me.  Trust me.  It is a good thing I was in the hospital when I found out about Benot and about you."

He had hoped that she had not found out about him.  Hopefully she would be true and say that he really did not want to know any further details.  She did not want to explain to her about Goten.  Hell, his own mother's memories were muddled on the fact but she did love him.

"Why are you leaving them behind?"  she asked as she flipped a page in the book without even looking at it.

"It is better for them.  I can't.  I don't have enough strength to draw them back as well.  Not this time," he sighed heavily.  "It may not even work."

"It will," she said simply.  "They will be mad at you when you leave."

"I know.  That is why I haven't told them," Cryus said.  "It's not like I have a choice.  I would like to wipe their memories clean of the pain that we all encountered as well but I just don't have the strength!"  He looked away from her.  "This time line must go on.  I collapsed others to make the ones that are left stable so that this one can still exist so that Benot and Crystal can be here and be safe."  

He heard her move in the chair.

"I know it is rather complicated and I know it is hard to understand.  Hell, even sometimes I confuse myself with all the talk but if I can get it to stop, then, maybe things will be okay from now on."  He sighed and looked back at her.

He missed mom so much.

"You have to do what you think is right," she said.  "Here," she said and held out her hand to him.  "Take this."

He opened his hand and a small watch on a chain fell into his hand.  "To remember this time that we had together," she said with a smile.  "Since I will not have you as a son here."

He blinked at it for a bit.

"It was my fathers.  He gave it to me when I married Brennen.  He thought it would be to pass on to the children that I would have.  I guess he had wanted to give it to the man that mom married, but grandpa never approved of Trunks," she said with a smile.  He just nodded his head.  He knew the story about that family turmoil from mother's memories and he did have a memory of the watch.

"You should give it to your own children," he said and tried to hand it back to her.

"I just did," she said with that stern voice that she always had.  She closed that book she was reading, stood and left the room.

He looked at the watch.

He hoped he could keep it.


	32. Home

32

Home

"There you are!"  Crystal turned and saw Bra running up to her.  She stopped short of lunging at her and put her hands on her hips.  "Where have you been?  I have been so worried!"

She smiled.  "Visiting," she said.  "But I am back now."  She said.

"Great!"  Bra said.  She was so easily pleased.  "I got some new stuff from the mall.  Do you want to see?"

"In a bit.  I have to go talk to Cyrus."  She said.  She could see the pouty look forming on her face.  "It won't take long."

"Great!"  Bra said and scurried off.

She found herself fingering the necklace that he had given her.

Damn dreams.

It was just like the one that she had dreams about.  She didn't understand what the dream had been about because it was full of weird things that she thought were just symbols.  There was a ring and a watch and the necklace.  Trinkets that she thought were all connected but now she knew that they were not.

They were all for different people.

She sighed heavily and smiled slightly as she rotated the stone in her fingers before she slipped it back under her shirt.

She was still have those dreams that were pleasant and involved a blond boyfriend and… she flushed as she remembered the kiss… slow and deep and… she had never felt anything that wonderful before in her life!  She regretted rushing away from him, but she couldn't help it.  She knew if she didn't leave then, she probably would never leave.

How he could still be her boyfriend when she returned home was beyond her.  She shook her head.  How could she think of him as a boyfriend?

She was hoping to avoid Benot.

But there he was, all sweaty and panting from training, glaring at her.  He really had to learn to control his temper.  "The little princess has decided to join us," he grumbled.

"Not now Benot!"  She said.  "I am not in the mood for a fight!"

He humped and walked forward.  He was in the mood for a fight.  That was obvious.

"How was your little trip?  Huh?  I am sure that he proved to you that he wasn't a threat to us and now you will let him walk all over us!"  He said and stood right in front of her with his arms crossed and his feet spread apart.  

"Idiot!"  She said and slapped him.  He didn't budge even though his face went crimson red and her handprint remained stark white.  "He is protecting us!"

"Yeah.  Right."  He said between grated teeth.  "Probably just building up his forces again."

She sniffed.  "I can take care of both of his army's no problem, Benot.  No problem.  He does not have the forces to hurt this planet and he will not attack us.  He has sectioned off this portion of space so people will leave this section of space alone!"   She wanted to slap him again.  His face was reversing colors.  The handprint was red and his skin had gone white.

"And that is supposed to make me feel all cozy and warm!"  He snarled.  Boy, he was being vicious.

"No," She said and pushed by him.  "It is supposed to make you shut up!  He won't be coming back!  Okay!  You happy now!  I am back!  He is gone!  We will never ever see him again!"  She yelled at him and she found herself wanting to cry.  She quickly composed herself.  Benot was looking at her funny.  She had her hand on the necklace again.  She shouldn't have taken it.  She should have left it behind.  She didn't need the reminder.

"Back _OFF_!!"  She snapped at him and took a deep breath and composed herself.  "I am going to go find Cyrus."  She turned on her heel and tried to walk away.  

"What is your problem?"  Benot said walking behind her.  "He is the reason that we are _here_!  He is the reason that half of our family is dead!"  he said.  "How can you even stand to look at him and you are acting like you are in love with him."

She stopped and turned sharply.  It startled Benot and she was pleased with the reaction and the look on his face.  She stabbed her finger into his chest.  "Everyone deserves a second chance!"

"Since when!"  Benot growled back.

"He hasn't done anything to hurt us!"  She said.  "He deserves to prove himself!"

"He is nothing but problems."

"So are you!"

"He will bring doom onto everyone here!  Do you want to be responsible for that?  Huh?"  He said and stabbed his finger at her.

"I will take responsibility!  Is that what you want to hear from me!  Everyone else gets chances why can't he get one!"  She said and was trying really hard to control her temper.  She so, wanted to go Gold on him and kick his butt.

"Who?"  Benot said.

She blinked at him.  Had he forgotten all their family history?

"Duh!  Just about everyone that is part of our family were once our enemies!  Vegeta is a big one.  Look at how many times he slipped and he was always back in the family after all was said and done."  She said and was pleased with the shocked look on his face.  "You only have to give Ligh one."

He was stumped!  He didn't know what to say!  She won the fight!  She gladly flipped her hair over her shoulder and went in search of Cyrus.

……………………………………………

"What are you still doing home?"  Trunks asked Soyna.  "I thought you were at the hospital today?"

"I thought I should be home today.  Called in sick," she said as she munched on some food that she emptied out of the fridge.

"You don't look sick?" he said.

She rolled her eyes at him and continued to eat.

"Why are you home then?" he asked.  He did not like the trend of his daughter of not really answering his questions… it was a trend that he was not enjoying.

"It is going to be an interesting day," she said and just continued to eat.

He just shook his head and decided it would be best to leave the room.  Of course, when he turned, he was shocked and pleased to see Crystal.

………………………………………….

"Have you seen him?"  Crystal said.  Trunks looked at her shocked and stammered over some of his words.  "Well, where is Cyrus?  Is he around here?"

"Haven't seen him," he was finally able to answer her.

She looked around the room and saw that Soyna was pigging out and that Trunks was just looking at her like she was possessed or something.

"When did you get back?"  Trunks asked.

"Huh?  That doesn't matter," she said to him and waved that question off.  "Where is Cyrus?"  She had looked everywhere and then she realized that she couldn't sense him either.  She didn't like that.  He could not hide himself.  Not from her!

"Doesn't matter!  You take off and we are not supposed to worry about you!"  He said looking a little flustered.  Great, what bee was under his bonnet?  "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

She slumped.  "No!  Geez!  He is a nice guy!  He's gone, so don't worry about it!" she said.  "I am looking for Cyrus!  C-y-r-u-s.  You know, the big guy with the green hair."

"I know who he is.  I haven't seen him.  I thought he went into town for some reason," Trunks said.  He had seen him this morning but that was it.

She frowned deeply and looked like she was pouting.  "I hate this!  I really do!"  she hissed and flipped her hair out of her face.  "He better not be pulling something!"

"What could he be pulling?"  Trunks said.

"Oh, I don't know.  He has been hiding something.  I am sure of it.  It better not be anything bad.  I haven't had any of those dreams…."  She trailed off and looked at the ceiling.  "Damn.  I hate it when I can't read my dreams."  She said and slunk out of the room.

Trunk's was asking if she was okay but she ignored him.  She wanted to talk to Cyrus.  At least he wasn't totally against Ligh.

…………………………….

It was nearly suppertime and her stomach was rumbling.  She had worked through lunch and had not even realized it.  Usually Vegeta was bothering her about food lately at this time since Soyna has been having erratic food and cooking habits as of late.

She hadn't seen him all day.

That was rather unusual.

She looked at the clock.  She still had time to get washed up and then go start a meal for the hungry brood.

She had a nice hot shower and felt refreshed afterwards and got dressed in some grease free clothes to go back into the main house.  She threw her jeans on the bed and saw a small box tumble off the pillow.

She looked at it for a minute.

It was a jewelry box.

It was the type of jewelry box that had a ring inside.

She was almost scared to touch it.  She never wore rings… she was never given a ring.  Who put the box on the bed?  Vegeta?  Who else could it have been?  No one else would have bought her a ring.  After Vegeta she never sought another relationship…

She licked her lips and picked up the box.  There was a small black envelope attached to it.  She took a deep breath and opened it.

She started to cry she read the simple message:

To My Love, Bulma 

It also told her that he was gone.  He had left without saying goodbye but leaving her a ring.  She was still weeping as she opened the box and she smiled through the tears.  She had mentioned wanting a ring only a few times and thought she would never get one.  He was not a shopper.  He did not like going out into the human world and deal with the weaklings, as he put it.

But he had.

For her, he had gone out into the human world and bought her a beautiful diamond ring that she would never take off her finger again.

She would miss him.  She really would.  She missed him before, after his death by the androids and now…he had left to help out Cyrus, Crystal and Benot.  He was not the same man that she knew.  She was happy with the changes.

She put the ring on her finger and admired it.  She wiped her eyes and went out to show it off.

…………………………..

Benot lay on the ground and was staring at the clouds.  He was exhausted but he still was angry.  "Hey?"  He looked to the left to see Boxer looking down at him.  'Geta was looking over his shoulder.  "You okay?  We weren't to rough on you, were we?"  He had insisted that they team up on him.  He had done good for the first hour but they got the advantage as they quickly learned to work together to get at his weakness.  They seemed to be natural fighters.  He hated having to work at it.

"I'm fine," he groaned and looked back up at the clouds.  They could care less what he did and how angry he was.  They didn't care.  Why the hell did she have to say that?  He felt sort of bad for putting her on the spot like that.  He just didn't want to give him a chance.  The guy hurt him!  Killed him!  Made his mother make a terrible choice.  He just saw that in him.  "Damn Crystal."  He groaned.

"Why are you so mad at her?" 'Geta asked.  "What has she done to you?"

He sat up and looked at his younger uncles.  They looked tired as well and it look like he had cut 'Geta's arm.  "I guess… we…always fought."  No.  That wasn't true.  They started to fight when they started traveling.  They got along just fine before then.  Before he found out that she was stronger than him an always would be. 

"Why?"  Boxer asked.

Maybe it was those dreams she had.  She could see things before they were happening and even though she may not have been able to stop it, she has always been certain that things were going to turn out in the end.

Hell, he didn't understand why he was so angry at her.

"I guess it is because I miss home so much," he said.  "She was different then.  She was not at all like how she is now.  She certainly had changed a lot.  She used to be shy and timid girl."

Boxer laughed and so did 'Geta.  "Yeah, right," 'Geta chuckled.  "Crystal shy!"

Maybe he was mad because she was forced to become what she was, and it was easier being angry at her than at himself or at Cyrus for being who he was.  It was all to stupid.

"Yeah, I can just see her ducking behind dad's legs," Boxer said and howled.  Yeah, well, they didn't know her when she was young, but the image of the grown Crystal being shy and timid did make him smile a bit.

He pulled himself to his feet and looked over to where he could see Crystal walking towards him.  She looked worried.  That was not a good sign.  Crystal was not the type of person to worry.

"Have you seen Cyrus at all today?"  she said first.  She was worried.  Her eyes had that look in them, like when she was a little girl and would hide behind Trunks or Pan as she entered a room.

"I saw him this morning with Vegeta but that was really early," Boxer said with a large goofy smile.  He was still amused with images of her being shy.  "They were talking but they stopped when I entered the room."

She looked like she was going to cry.  "Benot," she said and tears came down her cheeks.  "He left us behind!  I can't feel him anywhere and I can't feel Vegeta either."

Left…. Behind….

He blinked a bit and looked back to the clouds.

Could he… Could he leave them…. No… no… "NO!"  He said.  "He wouldn't leave us behind.  Would he?  Will all these horrible memories!  He wouldn't do that!"  Benot said and he felt like crying himself.  He wouldn't leave him with all the horrible memories and horrible battles that he fought… after all this time and the promise of home being repaired… "How could he lie to me?"

Crystal was grabbing and rubbing a stone on a chain around her neck as she chewed her lip and looked at him.  "I was not really serious when I said he could leave me behind," her voice told him that she was on the verge of tears.  "He wouldn't do that to us?"

He hadn't walked to talk about when they were leaving.  Cyrus had always avoided talking about this time around.  He had always been anxious in the other times to leave that time, to get to the next and it was just about the only thing he would talk about.  'I should have known," he whispered.

Crystal grabbed his shirt and was right in his face, her eyes were frantic.  "He couldn't do that to us, could he?  He would tell us, right?"  She was crying again.  She was shaking him.  "He wouldn't do that!  He wouldn't leave without at least saying goodbye!"  He grabbed her hands and enveloped her in a hug.  She seemed to collapse into him.  

He refrained from wanting to scream and yell and curse.

What good would it do?

………………………………….

A note.

Benot wanted to throw it away.  He recognized his brothers writing on the note but he was still angry with him.  He left him here.  Crystal broke down for him.  She was sobbing in her room with Carmen trying to comfort her but she could not be consoled.

A stupid note.

He should have known.  He was hiding something but he was actually having fun here and he was enjoying it in this time and he knew that Crystal was to… Maybe that was why he left them behind.  But nothing makes up for not being able to go to his real home.  This was not his real home.

And why did he take Vegeta and not them!

It wasn't fair!  It just wasn't!

"Are you going to be okay?"

He jumped and turned around.  He was concentrating on his anger.  He was not expecting to be snuck upon.  Soyna was standing in the doorway looking at him with concern.

"Did you know?"

"I suspected," she said and walked in.  Her eyes flashed down at the note.  "Aren't you going to read that, Benot."

His heart jumped.  That was the first time that she called him that.  She had been calling him by his false name.  Tobe and it was so nice to hear her call him Benot.  "You guys are not very good at keeping secrets you know."  She said and nodded towards the note.  "Read it."

"I don't know if I want too," he said looking at it again.  "He left me."

"I am sure that he had a good reason," she said and sat on the edge of the bed.  "If you don't, I shall read it for you."  She said.

He picked up the note and screwed up all his courage and unfolded the note.

I am so sorry that I have to leave you behind.  I never meant for that 

_To happen but I do not have the strength in me to repair you and Crystal_

_As well as fix Vegeta and all the time line stuff.  You know that I can't really_

_ explain what I have to do… You will have to trust me on this one big_

_ brother… I may be endangering our lives by doing this and_

_It may not work and I didn't want to destroy you and Crystal as well._

_I hope you can understand and won't be so mad at me over this but I really_

_Did not have much choice.  I love you big brother, you always took care of me_

_And now it is my turn to take care of you.  I know it will be hard but this time_

_is a peaceful place.  Please do not brood over the losses and move on with your_

_ life.  Maybe you can even find Rose here and rekindle the relationship that I_

_ruined in the other time.  I know that Crystal will be happy in anything that_

_ she does. Her dreams will guide her as they always have and lead her to true_

_ happiness.  Take care of mom and Crystal and I will hopefully be able to take care_

_ of the family in our time.  Again, big brother, I am sorry for not telling_

_ you that I left.  I am so sorry that I do not have enough control of the power_

_ to bring you both back and get rid of those painful memories All I can ask_

_ is that you try to remember the good times that we had together._

_I am sorry Benot……. I hope you can forgive me.___________________

_Cyrus…………………_

He closed his eyes and sat on the bed and received the comforting hand on his shoulder.  He allowed himself to lean on her and accept her embrace as he wept.

He understood now.  It still hurt but he understood.  He WAS happy here…. He was at peace here and he had seldom thought about all the horrible things that had happened in the past while he was here.  It wouldn't be home but he could make it home.

"I have to show this note to Crystal.  I think, then, she will understand," he said after he drained himself of sorrow.  Soyna just nodded.

"That you should," Soyna said and stood.  "Things will be okay here," she said with a smile.  "It will be interesting to see how different this Benot," she patted her stomach, "Will compare to you."

He knew that his jaw dropped as she left the room.  Man, he can't keep a single secret from her!  But then, he never could.

……………………………………..

"It will be okay," he said and patted Crystals back as she wept into him.  She held the note loosely in her hands.  "He could have told us!  I would have understood and then my dreams would have made sense!"  She said as she pulled away and tossed the note aside as if it burned her fingers.

He blinked at her.

She sighed as she looked at him.  "I have had a lot of dreams that involved this time and only this time.  I didn't see anything beyond it.  I just thought that it couldn't be discerned yet.  You know, how I used to not have the dreams until I got into that time stream," she sighed heavily.  "They were such nice dreams but they were all in this time and I just thought it was a projection of how happy I was at the time."

She straightened her hair with a single flip of her hand.  "I guess, this is our home now."

He nodded.

"I will miss mom." Crystal said.

"I will miss Goten." Benot added.  "I will miss everyone but I could learn to be happy to be here."

Crystal nodded.  "I can still hate you though, right?"  She said with a crooked smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he sneered back at her.  He smiled and gave her a hug.  He noticed the green necklace around her neck, it must have been what she had been grabbing earlier.  "Hey, when did you get that?"

She blushed!  He frowned.  "Is that from Ligh?"

She flushed further and pulled it out of her shirt.  "You are going to have to really give him a chance," she said in a low voice that was almost dreamy.  "He has been in my dreams a lot.  I guess I now know why."  Her face flushed.

"Eeeew," he said with a sneer.   "How could you even…"

He sighed at the stare that he was giving her.  "Alright.  Alright.  A try," he said with distain.  "But I don't have to like him."

"I'll remember that when you find Rose," she teased.

He shook his head.  "I thought you liked Rose!"

"Ug!  She is just so sweet!  Gag!"  She said and did that hair flip again. 

"Oh and Ligh is a better pick!" He growled at her.

"At least he has a job!" she said.  "She sponged off her parents!"

"She was working with her parents company!"  he retorted.  "Ligh is taking over his fathers empire.  Same thing!"

Crystal smiled at him.  He stopped himself from getting angry at her further as she started to cry again.

…………………….

"See," Boxer said as he looked in on the two weeping people in the room.  Benot or Tobe, he wasn't sure which name they were supposed to call him anymore, and Crystal were crying.  "It's contagious." He said as he pulled the bandana back over his mouth.  He didn't want to catch what ever they had or what Grandma and everyone else had.  Everyone was crying!

Bra looked in with wide eyes!  "Wow," she whispered.  "Your right!  She said and pulled her shirt over her mouth.  "I don't want to end up blubbering like that!  Let's get out of the contagious zone."

He nodded to his little sister.

Downstairs, Grandma Bulma was crying and so was dad… it was just to weird.  He was pretty sure that Crystal brought a weird bug back that made everyone cry.

He was certain of it.

He didn't want to look like a sissy and start crying too.

………………………….


	33. Time

Talk about weird theories…here is one that will twist your brain. 

33

Time

The pain was unbearable!  Vegeta had not expected the pain.  He was doubled over.  His skin felt like it was burning, his eyes felt like they were going to pop out and his stomach forced his breakfast out of him.

He was not the only one retching.  He could hear Cyrus doing the same even though he couldn't open his eyes to look at the boy.

But then the pain left, leaving behind only a small uneasy feeling in the bottom of his stomach.  It was almost like it had been not even there.

He looked over and saw Cyrus on his knees and sitting on his heels.  He was clutching his sides.  He was taking breaths in deep gasps but he was smiling brightly as he looked up.

He followed his eyes and gasped.

It was unlike anything that he had seen before and he really didn't understand what he was seeing.  It was amazing.

"I - should - have – warned – you - not - to – eat – breakfast," he heard Cyrus said between gasps of air.  He forced his eyes to look at him.  He couldn't look at the indescribable sight any longer.  It was hurting his eyes.  He had a small smile on his face but he still clutched his sides as if he were in pain.

"Where are we?"  He asked and found that he was looking back around him.  They were surrounded!  He didn't know if he should be scared or in awe.

"Time," Cyrus said and groaned.  He let go of his sides and took a deep breath.  Was it the light?  He looked different.  The boy looked smaller, slimmer, hell, even his hair looked lighter than he remembered.  "This is time," he said and swept his arms in a grand gesture and only winced a little bit.

He looked back as he looked at the _ropes_.  He didn't know how else to explain it.

"Everyone thinks that Time is a line.  Time is not a line but a thread but it is not weaved… that is so two-dimensional and old school.  This is Time."  Cyrus said and struggled to his feet, even though, he just realized, they weren't standing on anything.

He looked at the _ropes._  Some were thick as his body and they seemed to be slowly rotating with other smaller ropes wrapped around bigger ones.  They went on forever.

He realized that they were moving.  He tried to stop the panic that was rising in him as they followed a _rope_ to one that had multi-colors on them.  All the other _ropes_ were white and seemed to move in a slow patter of waves.  This one had every color of the rainbow on it and it was huge, it looked like it was almost bursting.  Every cord that wrapped around it, was a slightly different color than the next.  Some were even black but seemed to be emitting a light.  Some looked tied off and some, looked as if they were pinched.

"This is us," he said.

The _rope _was huge: Larger than the rest of the others that surrounded him.  This _rope_ was taller than he was.

"Can you see the danger we were in?" Cyrus said as he stood in front of the _rope._  "Going back will stop this from happening."  The smaller cords looked as if they were trying to strangle the bigger ones.

"What does it all mean?" Vegeta whispered.  The large colored _rope_ was rotating and he saw that it actually was 2 pretty big ropes with 3 other small ones, and they were braided together and seemed to be almost repulsed by the small cords that were wrapped around them.

Cyrus took a deep breath.  "Yellow: that is the time that was supposed to be.  The time where Trunks did not have a father and had to fight the androids on his own in the end… it was supposed to end when he died at the hands of Cell, but that was altered, here," he pointed to a bruised part and where a thread went a long with the others.  "Of course, that became a sub line over the one that loops back and you get to see your Future son."

Vegeta blinked and stared at Cyrus.  Yes, it made sense.  Sort of.  "Those two courses, even as split as they are, must exist for the Red to exist.  That is your time.  When you deal with cell and all the other things that made that time."

"The green is the next divergence.  This is the one where mom is thrown back into the red, making it purple for the Yellow, no longer exists after that and turns into the purple which is a loop that turns into the pink…"  He continued as he explained all the colors.  He didn't understand it all that well.  It was very confusing.  "Everything is connected.  Everything loops.  Everything is together but they fight for dominance and that is what I fixed.  All those little lines were strangling out the big ones.  Once we go back, they will fold in on themselves.  Those little ones and the big ones will only exist."  He said.  "Hopefully."

"What about the time…"  Vegeta said as he was still trying to grasp this complex piece of physics.  Bulma would have understood it.  He couldn't even form the question!

"There will be the ones to maintain.  Time is not certain.  It changes with how others change it," he said.  "It is not just a thing that man made up to keep track of things.  It is tangible and travelable but then, it makes thing unstable, as you can see."

The _rope_ made a pulse of light of various colors making a large white light that nearly blinded him.

"It is much better than it used to be." Cyrus said.

"Better?"

"It was almost destroyed itself a few times.  Those smaller lines tried to strangle out the larger and a few times, it looked like they were going to be able to do it."  He said and looked down the line.  "when I tried to change things in the line, here," he said and pointed to the yellow part of the cord where there were dark marks.  "It didn't work.  I created a few lines that I had to destroy because of my interference, but at least," he took a deep breath, "I knew what was causing my asthma attacks."  

He looked back at Cyrus who was frowning and the large pulsing _rope_ that seemed to be swaying towards him.  "Are you ready now Vegeta?  Are you ready to stop the end? "

He nodded but he wasn't sure if he was ready.  He was certain that it showed on his face because Cyrus just stood there looking at the ropes.

"You see why the Silver Ball wasn't working, it was reading to many divergences.  They aren't dimensions.  Dimensions are separate _cords_.  Like those over there.  See that one with the right sway, that is the one where demons live.  These _cords_ can cross and monsters can cross the lines over time and sometimes they converge… that is why our is so large.  Over time, the _ropes_ converged and became one, it wasn't until Bulma made time travel possible that the divergence happened that split the main cord into three and then all these others were created… it is time to fix all of that."

"Whatever you say," he said and swallowed hard.  This was so much.  So much.

They had moved somehow and Cyrus was standing beside him.  "You will be first for I cannot go into myself unless it is stopped."  He said and tapped his cheek.  "Once this does not happen, I won't change and I will be the same and I can merge with myself so I won't be able to help you that first while.  It will be confusing and painful, but you have to go in soon enough that you will hopefully realize what is going on."

"What do you mean by that?  Can't go into yourself?"  He said and looked at the boy that was standing there.  He was different.  He was smaller and younger looking than he had been before.  How could that be?

He sighed heavily.  "In all the travels that I have done with Benot and Cyrstal, we moved whole into the times to fix them. But there was times, when I went in by myself ad tried to go into myself when I was little.  It was the reason for my asthma attacks that I had because I couldn't do it.  I wasn't the same.  When you did this," he pointed to the scar, "I became different.  I started to split.  A method of protection.  Once this doesn't happen, I will be able to merge with myself and ensure that some of the things that happened don't and the Time will be safe.  I still may forget things, and all of that differentials will disappear and our _cord_ will not become crushed by the weight of the differentials."

"I caused it all," Vegeta whispered.  Cyrus was looking so heavy minded as he stood there.  He had a hand clutched to his chest, as he looked t the rotating _cord._ In front of him as the colors flashed on them.

"Who know that life could get so complicated?"  Cyrus said and smiled.  "But you just have to remember and I can be whole again.  I can be like this," he said.  "This is how I am supposed to be.  The dragon and I merged and together, not separate like we have become.  The power will be protected in me and in the children that I will have.  There will be future dangers, as to be expected but the power will no be obtainable in the ways that they think.  But it will be able to be tapped into the Saiyian part of us, making it so that our heirs will be the guardians of the universe and protect it from the tyrants that just want to rule with an iron fist.  Golden warriors!"  He spoke with a large smile.  "What we were meant to be!"

He just blinked.

"It has to be better than being a hired thugs," Cyrus said with a smirk on his face and for the first time, he resembled his mother.

"All of this will happen?"

He nodded and then frowned.  "Well, hopefully it will happen," he said.  "If you remember that I cannot bring her back.  I tried.  I can't."  He said as he looked at the bruised marks on the _rope_.   "Then I can be home and where reside to where I am supposed too."

He was different.  He looked complete.  Yeah.  That was the word.  Complete.

"I am sorry," he said, "For causing all of this."

"How were you to know?"  Cyrus said.  "Shall we begin?"

He nodded.  He was ready now.

"Will this hurt?" he asked.

"Terribly," Cyrus said as he stated to glow.

Vegeta braced for the pain to strike him and then….

_Short, sweet and complicated…read on._


	34. Changing History

34

Changing History.

…it hit him all at once.

All the old grief and the pain that had been dulled a bit over time that suddenly was fresh and new.  Vegeta felt the rain cover his body and the chill and numbing cold that felt as if it was at the core of him.

He couldn't remember why he was here or where he was.  But he remembered the pain of loss…

"Gotcha!"

The voice startled him as he saw a boy in a yellow slicker and hat holding up a frog in triumph.  The boy laughed and tossed the green-blue thing, into a bucket nearby, "Two more to go," the boy announced and turned back to the pond.

He watched the boy for a minute.  The boy.  The scene…. He had to remember something but he couldn't remember… he couldn't remember at all.  But he knew that boy was Cyrus.  He knew that it was Cyrus from the tattered remains of a dragon umbrella.  The boy was not allowed to be out in the rain, but here was jumping after a frog and yelling with almost abandon glee.  He looked so … so … small.

Cyrus gave a yell of triumph as he caught frog number 2 and went back to the bucket with a large grin on his face.  He hummed to himself as he placed the frog into the bucket and quickly closed the lid before it could escape.  He then looked up and stopped humming.  "Hi Grandpapa," he said.  "Gee, if mom saw you, she would give you heck!"

He just stared at the boy.  Cyrus: So young and so small.

"You are all wet.  Are you okay Grandpapa?"  Cyrus said as he put a foot on the bucket, as it was wobbling like crazy now.  Those frogs didn't like being caught.

"I'm fine," he said in a husky whisper.  He was surprised at how his voice sounded.  It sounded, like, like, it did before… He didn't want to sound like that.  He had worked so hard to overcome his past…. Overcome… past… future….

He had done this before…. He had to stop… he had to change something…but but.. what?

"You sure?" Cyrus said.  "You still look really sad.  Oma went to a better place you know," Cyrus said.  "She went to heaven and she will be reunited with her parents there.  She missed them and she will be waiting for you.  So don't be so sad.  I'm going to miss her too.  She was the best person to play with, but then, you know that, right grandpapa?"

He just nodded his head.  She was gone.  She was dead.  The thought of her gone ripped through him as if she had just died…it wasn't that long ago.  How could it be so short of a time?  It felt like she has been gone forever.

"Do you want to catch frogs with me?  There for Legen's bed?" he said with a smile that he knew that he was going to refuse, even though he did look a bit disappointed that he had refused.  "Is there anything I can do, to help you feel better?"

It was such an innocent question that set off alarms in his head.  The boy was the reincarnate of the dragon.  Ubu was the reincarnate of Buu… yet, he still had all the strength inside him…he needed to be trained, but it was there still.  It had to be in the boy.  Had to be!  He just needed the right motivation to let it out.  But he wasn't supposed to do that.  He put a hand through his hair.  No.  It wasn't right.  It wasn't right to have these thoughts!  He had to overcome…

But the dragon's power… he couldn't disturb it.  He wasn't supposed to disturb it.  He had to stop himself.

The words popped out of his mouth before he realized he said them.  "Wishes," his voice cracked and hoarse.  It almost scared him and it defiantly scared the boy, who jumped and looked at him with big confused dark eyes.

"Let me have one more day," he said.  "Grant me that.  That is obtainable!"  He found himself walking towards the boy.   He blinked his eyes as he walked forward and he strained to stop himself from walking but he did.  He knew that he was crying and he didn't care that he was.  He missed her but he knew that was okay, but what he was doing was wrong.

She was gone.

Cyrus had the power of the dragon.

The power should not be disturbed.  It was resting and should be allowed to rest.  Hadn't he learned that somewhere?  He had to overcome all of this… he had to get past it.  Somehow.

Cyrus looked all confused.  "I don't know what you are talking about, grandpapa.  Maybe you should go in and take a nap or something.  You look tired," he said and took a step back.  "After a good nap on a rainy day, you will be able to think more clearly."

Cyrus hat fell off his head and his green hair glistened with newly fallen rain.  Much like the scales of a dragon.  He had to have the power in there somewhere!  He just had too.  He could see her again.  He could apologize to her again.  He could tell her that he was a fool for treating her like he did and he would tell her that he loved her and give her that ring… ring… yes.

He would… he had given her… a ring.

He stopped at looked at the young and innocent Cyrus looking up at him with frightened dark eyes.

He had given her a ring but didn't stay for the reaction… couldn't do it…

His mistakes….He shouldn't, couldn't repeat them…

……………………..

Cyrus had heard stories about how bad his grandpapa used to be, but he didn't believe them.  Why should he?  So he had a little bit of a foul temper.  It was not much different that moms.  Oma even used to say that he used to be someone that she was even scared of!  He could not imagine Oma being scared of anyone.  But seeing Vegeta looking at him like he was, he could understand how at one time, she could be scared of him.

He was terrifying to look at.  His eyes were ablaze with sorrow and a fury that he didn't understand.  His hair was soaked and draped down to his shoulders.  His clothes were soaked and you could see that his muscles were straining to stay under control.  His whole body was shivering.

He may not train, but he knew what it looked like when you were trying to stop from powering up!

"Grandpapa?" he said in a whisper.  He didn't understand what he was doing.

"You have to help me boy," his voice harsh, and so not like him.  " That kind of energy just does not disappear!"  He saw Vegeta's arm dart out and he didn't know how he dodged it, but he thought it better if he does not let Vegeta get a hold of him.  He heard Vegeta grunt and before he could look back, he felt himself being lifted off the ground.  He wasn't quick enough to miss the hand that grabbed the hood of his jacket and pulled him back.

"Quit hiding who you really are!  Show yourself!"  Vegeta said from behind him.  He had no idea what he was talking about!  What could he be hiding?  He quickly undid his jacket and struggled out of his coat.  Vegeta looked stunned for a moment, as he looked at the empty coat.  He took a couple of deep breaths and shook his head.  He dropped the coat from his hands and put them to his temple.  It looked like he was struggling with something.  He couldn't tell with the rain, but it sure looked like he was crying.

"Grandpapa?" Cyrus said as he shivered in the rain.  "I don't know what you want!" he 

said.

"You do," he said in a hoarse voice.  "You just don't know it yet."

Cyrus looked around for some sort of help but didn't see any.  He slowly began to back away from Vegeta.  "Please don't run from me," he said.  Cyrus knew that he was defiantly no match for Vegeta, but he knew that he just had to wait until someone came home that was!  Legen was not going to be any help.  He was most likely on the computer gaming right now.  He wouldn't notice a thing!

Where did Benot go after they ate?  He didn't see him leave?  Did he go home?  He hoped so.

He started to run.  It was the only thing that he could think of.  He ran and managed to dodge Vegeta's hands once more but was once again caught tight in his grip and this time, there was no way that he was going to be able to get out of the sweater he was wearing.  Soon he was staring right in the face of fear himself.  "I know that you have the power," Vegeta said, his voice full of desperation.  He wished he could give him what he wanted.  He would have like to see Oma, for just one more day too.  But he had no idea as to why Vegeta thought that he could do such a thing!  His eyes softened and looked they were sparkling with tears.  The grip loosened on his arms.  "Just one more day."  His eyes were looking at him, as if he was searching for something.  The grip wasn't tight but he was scared.

"I don't know…" he started and then found himself thrown aside.

"You do!  You do!"  Vegeta said and shook his head and let him go.  Vegeta stood still in the rain for a bit, with his hand pressed to his forehead.  He found himself sitting in the mud staring up at a Vegeta he did not know.  He was starting to feel the familiar tightness in his chest and he reached for his inhaler, but it was not there.  He looked over to his yellow slicker and there it was, encrusted in mud.  It wouldn't do him any good like that.

Vegeta lowered his hand and looked up at the rain clouds and allowed the rain to wash over his face.

"I can't stop myself," Vegeta said in a much calmer voice than before.  It was actually even scarier than his other voice!  A hand went to his chest as if it were hurting Vegeta.

Cyrus could hear himself start to wheeze as he tried to get to his feet now.  It was more of a panicked scramble, but he couldn't get much ground.  The earth was so wet that he slipped.  He cried out as he saw Vegeta come towards him with his hands outstretched and he felt himself being lifted.  He closed his eyes and prepared for the worse.

…………………………………..

Benot felt the familiar rise in Vegeta's-- he was pretty sure that it was his-- Chi, he was shocked to see him in the yard.

He was more shocked to see Cyrus cringing as Vegeta was reaching for him and looking like he was angry!  Cyrus!  How?  Why? What?

He was stunned as he watched Vegeta grab Cyrus.

Why?

He didn't think, but just reacted.  He meant to lunge at Vegeta with all he had and was going to attempt to tackle him.  He knew that he was nowhere near his strength, but he couldn't let him hurt Cyrus!

But he found himself stopping short. 

Vegeta was kneeling in the mud, holding onto the wet Cyrus and weeping like a baby.

Vegeta.

Crying.

It was a site that was just to shocking for him to comprehend in a moment.

Cyrus looked a little scared and uncomfortable.  He patted the back of Vegeta.

"I am sorry," Vegeta said and held Cyrus.

That was when he saw his mom jump into the picture.  He did not know where she came from.  There was the truck, with Flint and Flare's faces plastered to the windows with large curious eyes.  She walked from the truck towards them with a cautious but quick pace.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Vegta said and let go of Cyrus and let himself sit on his heels.  Cyrus fell back and chewed on his lip and looked at everyone with curious wide eyes.  His chest was heaving and it looked like he was on a verge of an asthma attack but he was to scared or freaked out to say anything.

He knew that he was.

It was mom that reacted.

"Vegeta?"  She said putting a hand on his shoulder.  "Are you alright?"

He nodded his head.  He wasn't crying anymore but he was looking right at Cyrus with sorrow filled eyes.  "I think…"  He slowly stood.  It almost looked as if his whole body was aching as he did so.  "I think that I shall go home now and take a nap.  The boy made a good suggestion."  His voice sounded strange and distant.  He slowly shuffled off and all they did was watch.

Flint came out of the truck.  "What the hell is up with him?"

Benot didn't get it.

Then Cyrus started to cry.

………………………………………

"I really want to go home," Trunks said wearily to Pan.  He was tired of this funeral stuff and all the stuffed shirts that were sending their condolences.  He was really tired of it.  Half of them didn't know his mother.  He was too drained to care how it would look if he just walked out.  He wanted to go home and curl up in bed and try to forget about the day.

"Daddy?"  He looked down at his shy little girl, Crystal, who was holding onto his hand with a vengeance all of a sudden. 

"Yea?" he said and looked down at her.  She had been hiding behind him all evening and being silent.   She had cried during the funeral and that had stopped his own tears as he held her by the simple marker that was her grave.

She chewed her lip and flipped her hair out of her face.  She really needed a haircut.  "It will be okay, right?"

"Sure," he said.  He thought she was talking about her grandmother being gone but her next question confused him.

"They aren't going to fight are they?"  She said.

"Fight?  Whom are you talking about?"  He said.

"You know, Soyna and Vegeta.  They aren't going to fight, are they?"  She said with that same nervous smile.

"I don't think so," he said simply.  Why would they fight? They were closer than he was to his own father.  "Why would you think that they would fight?"

She shrugged.  "I think it is all better now," she said with a smile.  "I don't think I will have those weird dreams anymore."  

He blinked at this little girl and looked at Pan who was looking just as confused.  What was going on here?  His little shy girl was suddenly spouting riddles.

Pan sighed.  "It has been a long day.  Let's just go home and try to relax a little bit."

"Sounds good," Crystal said with a large smile.

He just shook his head.  He was too tired to worry about what his little girl was saying.  He was pretty sure that he was most likely hearing things and things will make sense in the morning.

……………………………..

Cyrus wouldn't stop crying.

It scared Benot a bit and he could see that mom was getting a bit angry as well.  Not at Cyrus but at Vegeta.  Great.  Just what they needed another family argument.

His words were finally starting to make sense though, even though they were not logical.  "I missed you so much mom," he said and hugged her fiercely.   He had not let go of her since they have been in the house.

"Miss me?  I haven't been gone that long?"  She said.  "It has only been a couple of hours."  She gave him a confused look.  "Are you sure your okay?"

The first thing they did when they brought him in was take him out of his muddy and wet clothes, mom threw him in the shower and then dressed him in a couple of layers of clothes and he didn't complain.  Benot was certain that he was sick if he wasn't complaining about how mom was dressing him.  He always complained about how mom dressed him and how she worried too much about him.

The whole time, he had bawled his head off.  He was a lot calmer now.

"I'm fine," he said and smiled through his tears,  "it is just… just."  He started to gulp air and more tears were threatening on falling.

"Did Vegeta hurt you?"  She said in a stern voice laced with anger.

Cyrus shook his head.  "No.  No.  See.  He didn't hurt me.  Look.  No cut!"  He said with a large smile and a laugh as he pointed to his cheek.  "No cool scar!"

Flint had entered the room with a sneer on his face.  "You are just to weird little brother.  You need to see a doctor."  Flare followed him in and just shook her head at him.

"Scar?"  Mom said and gave him a strange look.  "What are you talking about?"

Cyrus just laughed and then lunged at Flare and gave her a huge hug.  She balked and slapped him.  "You little freak.  Get off of me!"

It was almost funny, if you didn't see the look of joy at seeing her that appeared on Cyrus face.

"Sorry, sis," he said as he sat on the floor and continued to cry with a smile on his face.  "Sorry."  

Legen looked like he wanted to say something, but he already got one hell of a tongue lashing over allowing Cyrus out in the rain and had lost all computer privileges for a month.  He didn't want to risk loosing further time.  He did have a little worried look on his face. 

He was worried.  His little brother turned into a little mad man.

"It _WORKED_!"  He yelled and continued to chuckle at his own private joke.

"I think, I will go get Raymond," he found himself saying and working towards the door.  His little brother was in major need of help.  He snapped.  Scary. 

…………………………………..

Goten arrived home feeling all drained.  He had to cover for Trunks after he left the reception and help get Bra out of there without having a total breakdown.  She really was not handling the loss of her mother all that well.  He knew it was most likely have the emotions to deal with her pregnancy.

He didn't mind it.  Trunks looked as if he was about to collapse before he left and he didn't like seeing his friend like that.  He was thankful that he was able to leave and let Gohan and Videl handle the few remaining people and help organize the cleanup.

Of course, he was not expecting to see his home in turmoil.

"Dad!"  Cyrus said and ran towards him and suddenly he was attached to his neck and was crying.  "Dad.  Dad.  Dad, dad-dad-dad-dad!"  Cyrus said and was crying.  He fell back against the wall to keep himself from falling on his butt.  

"What is with you?"  He said and looked over to Soyna and other other kids.

"You're alive!" he said and hugged him tighter than he thought Cyrus could.  He was almost cutting off his breath.

"Okay," he said.  "When did I die?"  He asked.  Trying to be funny but no one else saw the humor and the answer Cyrus gave was a little disturbing.

"Oh!  A couple of months from now but you don't anymore," he said and detached himself from his neck.  Thankfully.  Boy, his grip certainly increased!  He sniffed loudly and looked happily up at him.  "It worked."

"What worked?"

He shook his head.  "Can't remember," Cyrus chuckled and cried at the same time.  He looked to Soyna for an answer as to what was going on here.  This was just so weird but from the look on her face, she was worried as well.

……………………………………..


	35. Fix

35

FIX

Vegeta felt surprisingly rested after the sleep that he had.

It was full of weird dreams that didn't really made much sense but he did feel like he slept for days and actually had energy in his system.  That surprised him, as he got ready to face the day without his wife.

He did have the rest of his family that he had been ignoring through this whole thing.  They were still alive and had been looking at him with concern.

He could hear his son's family bustling in the house.  Normal simple sounds of plates being put on a table.  Gem announcing loudly that she didn't want cheerios but she wanted cocoa puffs.  Trunk's telling her to eat what they have.  The sound of a shower running.  Normal family sounds.

Sounds that he really thought that he would never enjoy but now, he wouldn't have it any other way.

He left the room and went to the kitchen.  Gem was sitting at the table and pouting as she was looking at the bowl of cereal in front of her with disgust.  Crystal was quietly eating hers and drinking orange juice.

Trunk's was looking drained as he was slouched over a steaming cup of coffee.  He looked as if he had not slept.  Probably didn't.  He had left his son to take care of everything when that should have been his job to take care of the funeral, but he didn't.  He had left it to his children to deal with that heavy burden.

Trunk's just glanced up as he took a cup off the shelf to grab himself a cup of coffee.  He wasn't a huge fan of the drink but it was a morning tradition on earth.

It was Gem that spoke.  "Grandpa!"  She said sharply.  "Can we _please_ train today.  It is so much better when you are there."

"Gem!"  Trunks said.  "Eat first.  Please."

Gem was the only one of his family, that he knew of, that was picky about food.

"We'll see," he said as he took a sip.  He winced a bit.  Pan must have made it.  It was quite strong and bitter.  He put some sugar in it.

"Really," Gem said.

"Yes," he said.  Trunk's was looking at him oddly but he chose to ignore it for now.  It would be best if he could apologize to him when they were alone.  He felt that he owed his son a large one.  He looked over to Crystal who was nearly done her food and was finishing off her juice.  "Are you going to be joining us?"  Why would he ask her that?  She didn't train.

Crystal nearly dropped her cup and looked at him through a veil of hair.  "M-me?  Train?"

"Yes, you.  Don't you think it is time that you learn to control your strength?"  He said and took another sip.  It tasted better with sugar.

"Dad, she doesn't even like to watch us train," Trunks sighed as he stood from the table to get the juice out of the fridge.

Crystal was blushing under that veil of hair.  Yeah.  He knew he wasn't wrong about this, he had dreamt… he shook his own head.  He had dreamt that she had gone all the way to level 4 and was even better at controlling the strength for longer periods of time than he was.  "I think she should start," he said and looked at her.  "You should cut that hair of yours.  It is always in your face."

"Not always," she whispered and pulled it out of her face.

"Dad.  Please.  I don't want to argue today," Trunks voice was terse and he could see the anger in his stance.  "I have quite a trying day coming up today and I don't need to have a feud in my kitchen."

"I don't _want_ Crystal training with me.  She is too _weak_," Gem said as she frowned at her.  "I don't need _her _slowing me down!  Dad, say that she doesn't have to train with us!"

"She doesn't have to train with you," Trunk's sighed heavily and poured some more juice in Crystal's empty glass.

"I am not weak," Crystal said and had to push that hair out of her face again.  She looked at her cup of juice, avoiding eye contact with her sister.  "I bet I am stronger than you," she said in a whisper.

"_What?"_ Gem said and stood on her chair and glared at Crystal.  "Yeah, right!  Stronger than me!  Who are you kidding?"

Trunk's groaned and gave him a glare.  "Calm down Gem," he said.  "Get off the chair.  Crystal, why would you say such a thing?"

She was hiding behind her hair again.  "Because…"

"Because what?"  Trunks said with a tired angry tone.  Crystal was the good kid:  The quiet one that never got into trouble.  Somehow, Vegeta knew that would change.

"Because, I am…" she said and seemed to sink in her chair a bit.

"That is Crap!"  Gem said.

"GEM!"  Trunks snapped at her and she quickly sat down in her chair.

"I can prove it!"  Crystal said with an odd conviction that he had never seen in the girl before but knew that she had and then she changed.  She did prove her strength as she transformed into a super Saiyian right there in her breakfast chair.  Effortlessly!  He smiled and felt pride swell in his chest.

Trunk's dropped the cup of coffee that he was holding and Gem just stared with her eyes wide and her jaw nearly to the floor.

She quickly changed back.  "I hate doing that!"  She said with tears in her eyes.  "I don't want to turn into a hairy monster!"

Trunks went to comfort his daughter even though he was in a state of shock.  Gem looked angry and jealous at the same time.

He smiled.

He knew that she would turn into a great warrior.  He just knew that she would.

Pan walked into the room with a confused look on her face and asked what had just happened while she was still toweling her hair dry.

………………………

Goten sighed heavily as he looked at his sedated son.  He was still sleeping.  He was almost in a state of panic last night and he was babbling about things that he shouldn't know about.

Especially the talk of the dragon.

It had upset Soyna to no end and she was angry with Vegeta right now for telling Cyrus.  It took him awhile to calm her down about it as well.   He planned on talking to Vegeta about his little slip before a family feud started.

He sighed as he called in to work and said that he wouldn't be in for another day.  There were so many advantages to owning his own gym and he was grateful that he had staff he could trust.

He wanted to talk to Vegeta before Soyna did.  He did not want her to loose her temper on him.  He had not slept much during the night with all the new worries and the fact that Soyna's tail would not stop twitching against his leg the whole night.  It didn't do that often.  Only when she was upset over something.

He walked over to Trunk's house, for he was certain that was where Vegeta was staying.  He knocked on the door but let himself in, like he always did.

He was shocked to see Crystal weeping in Trunks arms and Gem looking like she was in mid-tantrum and Pan looking on with great confusion.  The same confusion that he was feeling.

"Did I come at a bad time?"  he said.

It was Gem that answered.  "It's just not FAIR!"  she said.  "uncle Goten!  It s not fair! I worked really hard and she made it first!  It is not _fair_!"  She sniffed and ran towards him!  "Did you train her and not tell anyone!  Huh!"  She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.  A look that very much was like Pan.

He just blinked.

"I don't want to train!"  Crystal whimpered into Trunks.

Geez.  He scratched his head as he looked around the room.  Vegeta was standing back from the whole scene.  Boy, was this a bad time.

…………………………………………….

Cyrus woke up with a headache and feeling a little overwhelmed.

It had worked.

He remembered bits of what had happened and was happy that he was himself again.  He was whole again.  Of course, he remember how he acted the night before and knew that mom had that stern look on her face before she forced him to take that pill.

She was mad at Vegeta.

He tried to tell her that he didn't tell him.

Of course, he couldn't tell her how he did know.  How do you explain that his future self and him were now merged together and he was whole now and that she shouldn't worry because the memories will fade over time and he would be back to normal soon.

Without the threat of asthma!

He smiled as he stretched and tried to get the cobwebs out of his head. 

The one person he did not want to run into was in the hallway to greet him.  Legen.  Great.  Legen frowned down on him.  He had his arms crossed and he had a very angry look on his face.

"Hi, Le," he gulped.  He hoped he wouldn't have to run from his big brother.  Benot wasn't around to save him right now.  

"I am not allowed to touch my computer for a whole month because of you," Legen growled.

"Well," he said.  It was like fishing for memories that were so long ago.  "You wrecked my umbrella!  The one that Grandma gave me!  You deserved it!"  He snorted right back at him.  He remembered that umbrella.  It had been the coolest.  The memories rushed forward blocking out some of the ones that he hoped would fade quickly.  He would be the boy again.  Things would be better.  Things will be like they once were.  Things would be complete.

Legen was unfazed by his announcement.  "What were you doing out in the rain anyway!"  he snorted.  "Were you purposely trying to get me in trouble?"  Legen said and took a threatening step forward.

He shook his head.  "No, I just wanted to put a few frogs in your bed."  Legen's eyes flashed wide.  He did the first thing that came into his mind and that was 'run.'

……………………………….

Benot just about got bowled over by his two brothers as they barreled down the hallway.  He shook his head.  Things got back to normal quick around here.

He shook his head.  He had been worried about his little brother.  After the horrible babbling that he did last night, really scared him.

He certainly was fine now.

He knew that he probably should stop Legen, but he knew that mom was up and as soon as he saw him chasing Cyrus, he would be so toast.  He would have the computer all to himself.

……………………………….

Bra.  His little princess.

He held her as she wept.  Something that he should have done a long time ago.  She was feeling the loss of her mother with as much or more sharpness than anyone.  She was carrying a grandchild that Bulma was pining over wanting another baby in the family.

How could he not look at her?  He stroked her hair.  She pulled away slightly.  "I am sorry, princess," he said and she smiled.

"You haven't called me princess in a long time daddy," she said as she wiped her eyes.  "I kind of missed that."

"I have gotten out of the habit.  You grew up on me," he said and stroked her blue hair a bit more.  So much like her mothers.  A part of her would always be here or him.  Why hadn't he see that part?

He had been blinded by the grief and he was certain that he had done some stupid things that he would have to correct, if only he could remember.  There was nagging thoughts in the back of his head.

He looked up to see a frowning Raymond walking into the room.  He was the only male human that wasn't scared of him.  Well, he had been at first but that changed over time and for the first time, he didn't mind.

"Oh!"  Bra said and pulled away a bit and slapped his shoulder.  "Why did you do that?"

He looked at her a bit startled.  "Do what?"

"You tried to attack Cyrus last night and he went nuts and Raymond had to go sedate him!  Soyna is so mad at you!"  She said and gave him a look that rivaled her mothers.  "It was not the day to do that sort of thing!"  She looked like she was going to cry again.

He held her and stroked her hair again.

Did he attack…no… no… he had stopped himself.  "I didn't mean too… I…" He couldn't think of a proper explanation.  There wasn't one.  His head hurt with memories that were threatening to rise but he shook it off.  His daughter was giving him a worried look.  "I wanted your mother back," he said in a whisper.

Raymond sniffed a bit.  "Soyna was not to happy with you blurting out that the dragon is part of him.  He kept talking about Shelong."

He closed his eyes.  Yeah, he did that.  He would try to fix what he could.  He wasn't going to run away this time.  _Why would he run away?_ He thought to himself as he gave his daughter a hug and told her that he would be back later to talk about names for the boy.

"What boy?"

"The one you are carrying," he said.

"We don't know if it is a boy, yet dad," She said with a smile.  "I could be a girl."

He shook his head.  "There are enough women around here," he said with a frown that made her smile.

"You will love the kid, no matter what," she said now with a bright smile.

He smirked, he couldn't keep the frown up.  Yeah.  He would.

…………………………….

Cyrus watched with great concern as mom and Vegeta talked.  So far, they were just talking, a little aggressively, but no one has changed into any monsters.  He really didn't understand why he was thinking that way either, but he was a little worried that mom was going to get in a fight with Vegeta.

He was upstairs looking through the railing down at their discussion.

He looked at the watch that has been around his wrist with a chain.  They had been talking like that for ten minutes.

"What's going on?"

He jumped as Benot whispered over his shoulder.

"Are they going to fight?" Benot whispered.

He slapped his brother and told him to sush.  "I don't know.  Be quiet."

They watched for a bit only catching a few of the words that floated back to them.  They were in a pretty intense argument.

He was a little worried.

He looked at the watch in his hand again.  Fifteen minutes.

"Damn," Benot said as he listened in.  "How long have they been going on like this?"

"15 minutes," Cyrus said as he watched his mother stab a finger into Vegeta's chest.  Was she crying?  Vegeta grabbed her hand and held it firm.

"What's going on?"

He jumped again and turned to see Goku hovering over them.  He was so happy to see Grandpa Goku.  Benot had jumped too.  Benot answered for him.  "They are arguing."

Goku blinked a few times as he watched the two argue.  "Boy, I haven't seen them going at it like that before.  Wow.  She is really mad."

"Yeah.  I know and you know how mom is not one to talk," Benot said.  "She really must be mad at what happened yesterday."

"What happened yesterday?" Goku asked.

Benot explained to Goku about how it had looked like Vegeta was going to attack Cyrus.

He looked at his watch.  "Twenty minutes," he whispered and fiddled with the chain as he looked over to them.  Vegeta was still holding her hand and she was looking at him angrily.

Were they just glaring at each other?

"Wow," Goku said.  "Don't you think we should interrupt them?"

He shook his head.  "No.  It is their issues," he said.  Vegeta let go of her hand.  They were talking again but this time Soyna turned in their direction and glared with her hands firmly on her hips.

"Busted," Benot muttered.

"Will you quit eaves dropping already and get over here!"  Vegeta snapped.  "Damn kids," they heard him mutter as they walked over.

"Is everything all right?" Cyrus asked as he walked towards them.  "Mom, you know that he didn't really mean me any harm yesterday.  He was just upset, that's all."

She nodded her head.

"What were you doing lurking in the shadows Kakarrott?"  Vegeta grumbled.  "Playing children's games again?"

Goku just shrugged and looked at Soyna.  "Are you alright?"  He always worried to much about her.  Everyone always worried too much about her.

"I will be fine," she said and patted his head.  "How are you Cyrus?  Feeling better?"  She asked.

"Fine," he said with a smile.  He was feeling good.  He had never felt better actually.

"No more attacks on your life?"  She said and I knew that she was meaning how Legen had chased him this morning but she tensed as she spoke it and Vegeta's frown grew deeper.

"Mom, I am fine.  Don't worry," He said and pushed her hand off his head.  He had enough head patting for the rest of his life!  He was not a puppy!

She stopped his hand from going down and she tugged on his arm.  Rather hard.  "Where did you get this?"  It wasn't a question as she took the chain watch off his wrist.  He stopped himself from wanting to snatch it back from her.  "I thought this was long lost."

"Mom.  I have always had that," he said.  He couldn't remember being without it for some reason.

She turned it in her hands.  She collapsed into a nearby chair.  "Where did you find this?"  she was on the verge of tears.  Goku got an angry look on his face and looked at Vegeta.  Benot went to her side.  "What's wrong?" he asked her quickly.

"I have always had that mom.  Didn't you give it to me?"  Cyrus was pretty sure that she gave it to him.  

"I thought… I don't remember bringing…" she said and shook her head.  "It is just like the watch that my grandfather gave me when I married… married Brennen.  It seems like so long ago.  He wanted to give it to the man that mom married but he never liked dad or approved of the marriage."

"I was supposed to give it to my first son," she said.  "Grandpa wanted it to go to my children."  She smiled.  She wasn't looking so upset anymore.  She held out the watch and he gratefully took it back.

"You didn't give it to me?" Cyrus said as he looked at the watch.  "Where did it come from?"

"It was lost when I came to this time," she said.

Goku leaned over his shoulder.  "Well, if it is that same watch, at least it found its way home."

She nodded.

…………………….

He had forgotten something.  He was sure of it, but he couldn't think of what it was and with the distraction of the most of the kids all gathering to train, to get rid of the itch to fight, in the courtyard, he was again distracted.

Vegeta grinned as he heard Flint laughing at Crystal.  "She wants to fight.  With US!"  They had already calmed her fears about turning into a monster but she was still hesitant to fight.

He could see the anticipation on Trunks face as well as Goten's who knew as well as they prepared.

Flint was hitting all the right buttons with Crystal.  He could see the tension rising in her and she was fighting the side of her that was scared to gain her level of power that she really should learn to control.

Gem was pouting by Trunks.  After a little swearing outburst she had after Trunks said that Crystal should train now, just so that she doesn't accidentally blow things up, Gem lost a lot of privileges.  The five year old had quite a mouth on her.

Goku stood annoyingly beside him and was looking on with pride at the children.

"Take it easy at first," Goten said.  "She is not used to the way we train."

Flint just sniffed.  "Yeah, sure dad," he said and walked towards her.  "Don't expect to be coddled," he said.  Crystal looked a little nervous.

Soyna was chatting with ChiChi and Bra who were on the other side of the yard.  They were looking on.  Violet was sitting and watching.  She liked to watch but as she always said, I don't like getting all sweaty and yucky.  She defiantly was Bra's daughter.

He was pretty sure that this fight soon was going to be the center of attention.

Goten was telling them that they should start with some warm ups first since has been a couple of weeks since any of them had trained officially.

"You can be my partner," Flint snarled at Crystal.  Boy, did Crystal look nervous.

"I don't want to hurt you," Crystal said and Flint started to laugh so hard that he fell to his knees.  Crystal had a look that meant that she was not amused.  She was hugging herself and gave an uncertain look at her father who just nodded to her.

"Did I miss something?" Goku said and scratched his head.

"You miss a lot," he snarled at him.  "Just watch."

Goku blinked and looked back at the children.

Flint had finally stopped laughing after receiving a glare from his father.  "Do you want to train or what?"  he was asked and Flint just nodded.

Flint turned to Crystal.  "Okay, lets see what the chicken can do.  Throw your strongest punch at me."

She bit her lip.

This was going to be good.

"Come on."  Flint said and started to look annoyed.  Flint had his mother temperament.

"I don't know…" her voice trailed off.

"Fine!  Try to block mine!"

He put out his arm to stop Goku.  "Watch and learn," he smiled.  Goku gave him a confused look but did not advance.

She dodged a few of Flint's attacks.  No one was making a move to stop him, even though he could sense Goku tensing beside him.

"Block, not dodge!"  Flint said and then she blocked one of his blows.  Of course, everyone was stunned.  He heard Goku take in a breath.  He felt himself smile wider.

"Like that?" she said and tossed her head to one side, to get the hair out of her face.  He really wished she would cut her hair!

"Lucky," Flint said.  "You will not be able to block my next ones or dodge them!"  He said and powered up.  Crystal looked over to her father.  Trunks just nodded his head.

Flint attempted to throw a pretty powerful punch, only to get knocked onto his own ass as she landed one of her own blows in his stomach.  She had gone supersaiyian and stayed that way.  Trunks gave her the victory sign.  Goku gasped and asked when did she learn to that.

Soyna came over and looked at her injured son on the ground.  "That is what you get for being overconfident."

Flint just groaned.

Everyone was a buzz with this change in Crystal.

"Did you know that she could do that?" Goku asked him.

"She showed us this morning," he said.  "She shows great promise."

"Wow!" Goku said.  "Just, poof!  She goes gold!  Amazing.  It sure shocked Flint!  Ha!"  Goku grinned.  "What an amazing bunch of kids!"

He smiled.  He took great satisfaction in watching this new achievement but… he still felt like he was missing something.  Cyrus was the first to congratulate Crystal and asked if he could try too.  He did not succeed.  He knew that was going to happen, but now, maybe one day, he would be able to.  Yeah.  In time, he would, but not today.

Of course, but what was he missing?

He rubbed his forehead.  It was starting to hurt, even his stomach was starting to ache, as if it were remembering an old pain.

"Are you alright Vegeta?" Goku asked him.

"Fine, Goku," he muttered under his breath.  "I am just trying to remember something."  He knew it had to do with… something that had to be finished.  The thought was just out of his grasp.

Goku was looking at him now with a look of shock on his face.

"What?"

"You called me Goku!"  Goku said.

He just rolled his eyes and walked away.  He needed to think and he didn't need to be near the blundering idiot.

It was important… he had to remember.

………………………..

Benot hardly even thought of the silver ball but after all the talk of the dragon coming out of his little brother's mouth he remembered it.  He looked at the ball as it sat on the pedestal and grimaced at it.

He hadn't touched it for a while but he did remember the headaches it used to cause him.  He still cursed the wish that he made.  He used to have wished that he counteracted the wish that Legen made but now, he was getting along with Goten.  He was after all, a decent guy and all.

He sighed deeply.

"Well, here goes nothing," he said and reached out and touched it and was surprised by images!  He backed away and blinked.  He recognized the problem.  Ligh and someone else was coming!  He grabbed the ball again and it showed him a little more.  One hell of a fight!  He saw himself getting really hurt and he saw Cyrus getting hurt and he saw a dragon…  He took it off the pedestal and ran!

He had to show mom.

Of course, he had missed the show that Crystal had put on and didn't question as to why everyone was gathered there.  He just thought that everyone was going to be training today.

"Mom!  Dad!"  He yelled.  "It's working again!"  He said only to trip and fall flat on his face and sent the silver ball flying from his hands.  It rolled on the ground and stopped at the feet of young Cyrus.

………………..

Silver ball!

Cyrus!

Two things that weren't supposed to mix.

Vegeta stopped waling away and looked at the horrible scene of the ball falling at the feet of the one boy that should not touch it.  He remembered something and he knew it would be really bad if he touched it.

No one else seemed to notice the danger that was being presented, but why would they?  How could they know?  They were laughing at the clumsy Benot who had tripped over some water bottles.

Cyrus was reaching for the ball!

He darted forward and threw Cyrus back from the ball.  He had been so close to touching it.  He had images of a large dragon with glowing red eyes that even more threatening than anything that he had ever seen in his life, even though the terrible image was familiar.

He stood between Cyrus and the ball.

"Hey!  Why did you do that?" Cyrus said.  "That hurt!"  He rubbed his chest where he struck him.  He didn't mean to hit him so hard, but he really did not want the boy to touch the ball.

If only he remembered sooner.  He would have destroyed it!

Everyone was silent.

Soyna now stood in front of him with a snarl on her lips.

How was he to explain!  "He can't touch the ball," he said quickly.  "Or we shall never be rid of the dragon's curse!"  He said.  It didn't really make sense to him.  There was something in his memory of canceling out energy's or something to that extent.  Crashing of wishes or energy's.

Cyrus seemed to understand.  His face went pale.  Good.  He remembered too.

Benot recovered from his fall.  "I did see the dragon, but it looked different that I remembered.  The ball showed me."

She looked to her son and back at him.  He didn't mean to start the feud all over again.  He was trying to protect the boy from a fate that he had been trying to stop.  He hoped.

"It showed that Ligh was going to cause us problems and some other guy that I think is related to him.  We are going to get hurt and…" Benot said rubbing his pants and seemed discusted in the grass stains that now marked his tan pants.  "…I saw the dragon.  Well, A dragon."

Cyrus eyes flew wide open and he saw the man that he had become for a brief moment, everything was clear.

"Destroy that!"  Cyrus said.  "Destroy it!"  There was a thread of strong fear in his voice.  "I do not want to be part of a dragon!  Destroy it!"

He complied.


	36. Aftermath 10years later

36

Aftermath 1

--10 years later….

He no longer hid the scars on his face.  They were a show of pride now.  Ligh had control of one of the strongest and Non-tyrant Empire in the universe.

Notice the past tense.

He was loosing control under the hands of a tyrant – Frost.

He was forced to the part of the universe that he had kept safe from the others that he had defeated and destroyed, but now, it was his only refuge.  His army was now small.  Consisting of a few of the strongest men that had ever been 'recruited' by his father and uncle and a couple of Advisors.  It was not as large as he would have liked.

He did not know how he would be received on this planet of a former enemy but he had to warn them or prepare for invasion.  They needed to prepare.  They needed help to survive.

And he did look forward to seeing her again.  His mind was a mess every time he thought of her.

Now he had to warn her.

He stepped foot on Earth and saw that it had not changed much at all.  It seemed calm and radiated the peace that he wished he could have had.

"Sir, do you really think this is wise?"  His most trusted friend and Advisor, Brandon, said as he surveyed the planet.

"What other choice do we have?"  he sighed.  "This is a last resort.  I promised her that I would leave this planet alone.  I do not know how they will greet us."

Brandon looked on nervously and frowned deeply.  His only memory of a Saiyian was Trunks and he was out to destroy.  He had witnessed his slow recovery from the injuries and did not like the idea of recruiting one that was an enemy of the past.  He did not see how they fought against his uncle and he did not understand why he had chosen to protect the northern quadrant of the known universe.

Now he had to go find her and warn her.  He hoped that she was still here.  She said that she may not be… he hoped that she somehow remained behind.  He did not know where her true home was.  She had tried to explain but found the talk of time travel rather complicated.

"You are late!"

He started as he looked up to the sky… and there she was!  How did she know that he was coming?  She descended and stood in front of him and he could only stare.

Crystal.  She was more beautiful than he remembered her being.  Her hair was still long and tied in two braids that fell over either shoulder.  Even though some bangs did fall over her sparkling blue eyes.  She was wearing snug clothes and he could see her belly and… and was there a ring in her belly button?  He blinked a few times as he forced himself to look away at the interesting belly ring and to her face.  She had matured and it only improved her beauty.

She was wearing the necklace that he gave her.  Her belly button ring matched it.

He smiled brightly.

"Well, are you going to say hello, or are you going to gawk at my stomach," she said with a smirk.

He could feel his cheeks burn.

She laughed at him.

"What took you so long?  I mean, you were supposed to be here hours ago!" she said and walked up to him.  He could hear his men nervous behind him.  They only knew the rumors of the terror that lived on this planet that had destroyed their prior leaders… they were wondering if it was this girl.  He even heard one chuckle about it.  They would learn as soon as they saw her fight and if they saw that boy that could turn into a dragon.

"What do you mean?  I never told you I was coming?" he said and blinked at her.  "Did you know I was coming?"

She smiled.  "Dreamt about it.  Glad you are back," she said and looped her arm around his and smiled back at the men that were streaming out of the ship.  Some were gawking openly at her and he didn't like that.

Brandon came forward.  "Sire?"  His eyes looking with disapproval at Crystal.  He was not part of his father or his uncle advisors.  None of those men were among the crew now.  He had made sure of that.  It also didn't help that half of them refused to return and the other half that were alive, wanted to stay with their families in this turbulent time.  "Is this a wise _distraction?_"

"Distraction," Crystal said with a sneer, as she stayed looped on his arm.  She shook her head.  "You are the ones coming here because of the Lord Frost that is coming and destroying your empire.  Right?  You need me buddy!"  She sniffed.

"How did you know about Frost?"  he said to her.  How could she know so much?

"Dreams.  I told you that already." She said.  "I knew that he was coming and I knew that you were coming back.  But you were late.  We are going to have to rush if we are going to make that dinner reservation that…

"Reservation?"

"…I made.  It is in a hard to get into restaurant."  She looked at the watch on her wrist.  "I should have enough time to kill the traitor and we can have dinner."  She said and unlooped her arm.  "You have an informant for this Frost guy here…somewhere,"  She said and eyed the men.

"Sire, can we get down to business.  We do not have time to deal with this woman."  Brandon grumbled.  "We should find this Cyrus fellow that you mentioned."

"Oh," Crystal said as she continued to eye the men who no longer were ogling her.  Her stance had changed and now, she looked threatening.  Still very beautiful but threatening.  He was amazed at how quickly she could shift her attention.  "He isn't here.  He was able to go home," she said and turned to the advisor again.  "But don't worry.  You don't want that dragon appearing to save your butt.  I am stronger than I was before, so this Frost guy will be no problems.  We have had a few 'issues' in the last ten years that I have dealt with."  She said.  "This guy is supposed to have red hair and a tick, you know.  Nervous.  Typical informant looking guy." She said to the advisor.  "Do you know anyone meeting that description?"

He could feel the pressure on him as they all were looking at this strange woman who was talking about her dreams.  So confident and beautiful.  He hadn't realized how much he had missed her.

"There would be no traitors on this crew!  I hand picked them."  Good 'ole Brandon.  So proud and he was meticulous.  He had been a friend in his tutor classes.  The only reason he had such a high rank and his trust.  A true friend.  He had so few of those.

"Yeah.  Yeah, well, he is here somewhere," she looked at her watch and then at him.  "Damn.  You have to change out of that.  You _cannot_ wear that outfit to the restaurant and I have to change yet as well!"  She said.  "They would kick me out for wearing this!"

He opened his mouth as to protest that they didn't have time to talk about dinner.  They had other more urgent matters at hand.

"Ha!"  She said.  "I see him!"  She flashed to that blond thing that she can transform into and lunged at a smallish guy with red hair.  "Do you want to bet that he snuck aboard your ship!  I'll win, but I will take your bet!"  She said as she held the little guy aloft.  He was gasping for air.

His men were getting nervous.  He was sure that they heard about the few remaining Saiyians that could transform into golden creature's that had terrible power.  Hell, it was the reason that Frost was heading in this direction.

Brandon was dumb struck and just stared with a gapping mouth.  Of course, he was looking at how much her figure _improved_ as well.  You could see more of her belly and her breast seemed to be straining against her shirt.  It would not be a bad way to die, looking at her.

The guy wiggled in her grip and announced that it was too late.  He already told Frost where they were and tried to laugh.  Crystal was not at all scared.  He did not like the news that he had been harboring a traitor and it was obvious that Advisor did not know.

"Good," she said and blasted him away with a simple energy blast that she formed in her other hand.  She dropped out of the golden transformation and rearranged her bangs over her face and walked back up to him and looped her arm around his again. 

Everyone was staring and tense.

"Let's get ready for dinner shall we?"  she said.

He blinked at her.  She was just such an amazing woman.  How could he have left her behind?  How could have left in the first place.

"Why did you kill him?"  Advisor snapped.  "We could have gotten information out of him!"

She rolled her eyes.  This was almost amusing seeing this and he knew that he was smiling.  "Frost is coming.  Duh!  That is all he could ever say!"  She unhooked her arm and it felt like he was missing something when she left his side.  "I am ready for his attack and that is all you need to know!"

"You!  A girl!"  Brandon scoffed.

He winced.  That was not good.  He had seen her fight.  She was good: Both at her verbal and physical fighting.  She had demonstrated with that Benot fellow how sharp her tongue could be.

"Yes!  Me!  And my family!  We are going to get rid of him!  Listen here buddy, If you want me to let him destroy your home, I will, but I will not let him destroy mine!  This is all I have, right here!"  She said and stomped her feet on the ground.  The ground shook as if it understood her point.

"Sir!  More people approaching!"  It was one of his generals.  He was glad that the little argument was interrupted.  It was just safer.  He didn't want either of them to loose their tempers.

He looked up and saw three people descend beside Crystal.

Trunks, (even though his hair was graying now)  Benot (who defiantly had filled out since he last saw him.) and the woman Soyna (her hair was cut shorter than he remembered it being.) set foot beside her.

Benot started talking first.  "Damn it Crystal.  Why didn't you wait for us?"  He complained.  If he remembered correctly, these two fought a lot.  "Coming here by yourself and after telling us a lie!"  He snorted loudly and looked straight at Ligh.

He could still feel the hate off of him.

She rolled her eyes.  "It's not like I went off to fight Frost!"

"I wouldn't put it past you," Soyna said and stood in front of the now stunned looking Brandon.  Brandon was staring at Trunks.  Trunks, the killer of his father.  A lot of people knew his description and knew that he was part Saiyain.  And Soyna, looked almost like a full-blooded Saiyian especially with that tail wrapped around her waist.  Of course, he didn't remember her having a tail last time… he must not have noticed.

"Gee guys, I can handle this," Crystal said.

Benot was glaring at him.  He really didn't like Benot all that much.  He couldn't help but dislike him right back.  Of course, Crystal had hinted to him that in her real time (he still had a hard time understand this time travel stuff.) he was killed once by him.  He had asked how he could still be alive if he had killed him.  She just laughed at him.  He didn't really want to know anymore.

"You should have told us," Trunks said in a firm voice.  Now, Brandon was certain that it was the same guy that killed his father.  He could see it written on his face.   He could see that his generals were getting upset as well.

He had no idea how to diffuse this situation.

"Anyway, we are hear now," she looked at her watch.  "I have dinner reservations made and we should get everyone back to the house and we can talk things over!"  She said.

Soyna frowned.  "You could be a little more discreet," she said and shook her head.  "But I do think we should make haste.  Capsulate your ship so that we don't have curious little on lookers."  She said.  Advisor stiffened.  "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Since when do you bark orders?"  Brandon barked.  "We have not had friendly relations in the past, why should we trust you?"

"Advisor!"  He said.  "They can be trusted.  We don't have a choice."  He could never sufficiently explain why he felt the way that he did or how he knew that they could trust them and knew that was the only way for his empire to regain it's control and keep his people safe.

Benot humped and folded his arms and looked at the small group of men that he brought with him.  His surviving army.  Not very many.  No match for this small family.  It sounded rather pathetic.

Trunk's spoke next, "If we wanted to get rid of you, it would be done a long time ago.  All we want is to live in this part of the universe in peace.  A peace that has been shattered by various enemies in the past ten years, from off this planet and from within it.  We do not want a war.  But we will destroy anyone that threatens our home."

"You hunted down King Krad!"  Advisor barked and glaring right at Trunks.  He was a little afraid of the man and knew that he should be too, but he didn't feel the anger or the fear.  Even though he was the cause of the scar on his face.

Trunk's eyes darkened.  "He was going to kill me and destroy my daughter.  I was not going to allow that to happen!"  Soyna face went grim.  He didn't understand this part.  It had more to do with the time traveling concept that he had a hard time dealing with.  "No one threatens my family."

Ligh bit his lip and stood between Brandon and Trunks.  "This is not going to resolve things.  We will work together.   All of us!"  He said and glared at Brandon.  He nodded his head.  "We will not in-fight."

"Sir!"  A general came out of the bushes and with him toted two young kids that he carried under each of his arms.  He looked a little startled to see the others but quickly gained his composure.  "We found these two trying to sneak aboard the ship."

Soyna groaned and covered her face with her hand.  

Benot even grimaced a bit and crossed his arms as he looked at the children that looked no older than five years old.

His General put them down and he saw why.  There was a boy and a girl that looked up at the adults sheepishly.  They were not scared of the army or the General that stood behind them.  They were nervous about what the adults were going to do to them.  The girl was rather smallish looking with a wild mop of light blue hair and some very vibrant green eyes.  She was dressed in some rather boyish clothes.  The boy had closely cropped dark purple hair that curled slightly wearing a dark blue gi, tied with a red tie around his waist.  

Trunk's was the one that spoke  "What are you two doing here?"  he said with a stern voice.  "Aren't you supposed to be doing your homework?"

"But grandpa," the little girl whimpered and batted her green eyes.  She didn't finish saying anything as she looked at the ground that she stirred with the toes of her boots.

Grandpa?  Trunk's was a grandpa?  

"Where is Junior and Legen?" Soyna asked.  "They are supposed to be watching you two!"

"Weelllll," the boy said.  "You seeeee, um, it is like this… um," he said and looked at his feet.  "We kindaaaa, you know… shook them off."

The faces of the Saiyian's went grim.

"Flint!"  Benot said.  "What the hell are you thinking?  No wait," the boy with the dark purple hair started to speak but stopped with Benot raised his hand.  "I do not want to know what you were thinking.  I want you to take Bulma and go home!"

"But dad!"  the boy said.  "I don't want to miss the fun!"  he protested.

"Aw mom, I want to see the fight," the girl's name must be Bulma.  "We missed the last one."

Trunk's shook his head.  "You were two when we dealt with Bebi!"

"This is all very amusing, but I don't think your cublings should be involved in this," Advisor said.  Brandon sure was looking angry.  He was finding all this rather amusing.

"Hey!"  the one named Flint burst out.  "I can go Gold buddy! I can beat you in a fight."  The boy was rather tenacious.  Much like his father, it seemed.

Brandon looked taken aback by the outburst of the boy.  He didn't doubt that boy could transform as well.  These remaining Saiyians were amazing.

Benot clamped his hand on his son's shoulder and he immediacy seemed to shrink against him.  Soyna put her hand on the head of the little girl who wisely kept her mouth shut.

"They will not be involved."  Soyna said.

Both of the children frowned and looked as if they were going to protest, but Soyna shook her head at the little girl and Benot frowned at the boy that was under his hand.

"Can we _at least_ see inside the alien space ship, dad," Flare said.  "Huh?  I never have seen the inside of an alien ship before."

"Mom?"  Bulma said.  "Please.  I have never seen a real alien ship before!"

Ligh smiled.  "We will deal with all this later," he thought it was time to stop this little outburst.  Crystal had attached himself to his arm again and he knew that he was blushing and smiling like a fool.  "We should talk business."

They all nodded.

Crystal looked at her watch.  "We are going to be late for dinner," she complained.

Soyna heard her.

"Quit being such a flirt!"  she snapped and scooped up the girl in her arms.

He couldn't help but blush and it darkened as Crystal blushed as well.  She was so beautiful.

Of course, he was reminded later how he was not acting like the leader of his people by Brandon.  He was told that he was not acting appropriately especially with his flirting with Crystal.

He just brushed off his Brandon as the General's started to bring forward their concerns.

"Even the adults are acting like children," one of the generals commented.  "How can they seriously help us?"

He smiled.  "You do not want them to be serious about fighting," Ligh said simply.  "It is better if they act as if it is a game."

Brandon scoffed.  "And why is that?"

"Universe's get destroyed when they take things seriously."  Ligh said.  He understood that much about the Saiyian's that remained on this planet.

They all looked at him as if he were crazy.  He felt a little crazy after seeing Crystal again.  "You are serious?"  Brandon said.  "We are supposed to let them play with our fate?"

"It is there's as well," he said.  "They will not fail our expectations.  General.  Did you not get strength readings?"

"Yes, but they were rather low, even though…" he looked at the pad in front of him.  "That woman that was clinging to your arm spiked quite a bit when she killed the traitor."

"I can guarantee that is only a fraction of their power.  We are not here to make more enemies; we do not stand a chance against them.  They always seem to find a way to win, even if they have to travel through time to fix mistakes."  He said.  "I am trying to save what is left of my people and this is the last chance.  Right here.  With them!  They may act childish, but you will respect them and Crystal!"

Ligh saw Brandon shaking his head at him and his Generals looking at him with wide eyes.

They had only seen Trunk's fight.

They would soon learn that they can change rather quickly in a relatively short period of time.

…………

He found himself relaxing.

Even with Benot's glares and Trunk's grunts.

He filled them in on all that he knew about this Frost guy and they seemed to know quite a bit about him already and then he got cleared up on the changes that occurred her.  There was hints that they had even fought him before.

Bulma had passed on about 7 years ago and he could tell from the tones that were used that she was still sorely missed.

He was a little startled when he saw the one they called Junior, Benot Junior, at first.  Crystal just told him it was a time travel thing and pushed it to the back of his mind.  The boy did act quite a bit like his counterpart but at least he didn't glare at him.  He was surprised to learn that during his uncle's attack she had been pregnant with Benot Junior and Legen, a strapping lad that strongly resembled his father.  Soyna and Brennen only had one other child, the little girl that had tried to sneak aboard his ship, Bulma, named after the lost matriarch of the family.

He was surprised to see that Benot had married a young petite woman by the name of Rose and had long pink hair.  It was also odd seeing a man with such hate playing with such love with his two children, Flint, the boy he had met by his ship, and a little two-year-old girl with maroon hair, that they had named Flare.  Crystal had told him that the names were of the brother and sister than he missed. 

Time Travel again.  Everything was so twisted around here.

And the children of Trunks had changed dramatically.  He only remember the young man 'Geta.  He didn't remember Boxer or Bra.  'Geta was surprisingly dressed in a suit and Crystal said something about him running the Capsule Corporation with Brennen now.  Boxer was in his last years of school was eager to join in the fight that was coming and Bra just shrugged her shoulders at the thought of another battle and said that she was going to the mall.

Then there was the weird big pink guy that was always smiling.  He was kind of creepy but seemed nice enough.  They called him Mr. Buu.  A very odd fellow indeed.  He did n to ask how he fit into the situation.  He wasn't too sure that he wanted to know.  Crystal gave hints to something about that to him, but he didn't really care.  As long as he was strong enough to help them in the upcoming battle.  Crystal just laughed and said to him that he shouldn't worry about that.

They were so calm about the battle that was to come.   When he was Crystal he felt at ease and wasn't worried about the impending attack.

It took them three days to finally get their dinner together without anyone peering over their shoulders.

She was beautiful as he watched her eat at the candle light dinner.

It didn't take him long to realize that he wasn't going to be leaving this planet again.  He doubted that he could survive without her.  The way her eyes sparkled back at him, he was pretty sure that she felt the same way about him.

………………….

The battle was won by Crystal and Soyna who preformed a fusion that intensified their power to a horrible earth shaking level.  Soyal was a force to contend with and Frost, did not have a chance in hell.  A little surprise that they presented to the men who were amazed that they knew how to fuse to begin with.

Of course, things changed rather swiftly after that.

Ligh announced that he was staying on the planet and make sure that no one tried to be unfair to any planet from there.  It did not go over well with Brandon who really was beginning to hate Crystal.  But it was done and even though the universe was not at total peace it was better than it ever had been with the new breed of Golden Warrior that protected the innocent and those who could not protect themselves.

A legacy that the children and grandchildren of our warrior kept up and proudly brandished the Saiyian and Wodah's name.  Names that were no longer feared but savored.

The Northern quadrant of the universe was the safest place to live for a very long time.

……………………………


	37. Repairs

37 

Repairs

Vegeta was just standing there, his foot still in the remains of the silver ball that was sparking and leaking something that looked like blue blood.  Vegeta pulled his foot back and shook it slightly with a slight look of disgust on his face.

Goten looked over to Soyna who was comforting a very scared looking Cyrus.  His son.  Scared.  He stood in front of Vegeta and glared at him.  "Why did you do that?"  He didn't care that the silver ball was gone.  That didn't bother him in the least, but this was to close to an attack on his son.  He had brushed off the other one.  He had not witnessed it and he knew that Vegeta had been taking the death of Bulma rather hard so could let it go… but this!  He let his face show his anger at him.

Vegeta didn't even look at him.  He looked over to the boy.  "He can't touch this."

"Good riddance!"  Benot sniffed as he looked at the Silver ball.  "It was a piece of junk anyway!"  He said and took a kick at the remaining shell.  Some of the goo that was inside splattered onto Vegeta's leg and he really winced with disgust this time.  He even took a step back and brushed some of the goo onto the grass.

He shook his head at Benot's remark and looked back at Vegeta.  "You attacked my son."  He growled and was surprised at the venom in his voice.  His son.  His youngest.  His grandson. Vegeta attacked one of his own!

He was beginning to understand his wife's previous fury.

"I was just trying to protect the boy," Vegeta said and shook his head as if he were trying to clear out cobwebs.

"Protect!"  He wanted to lunge at him but he felt a hand on his shoulder.  Trunks.  He wanted to push him away as well.  It was his father that was causing all these problems!  He shrugged it off.  Trunks removed the hand but did not move from his spot.  "You hurt him!  What the hell were you trying to protect him from?"

Cyrus was still weeping into Soyna who looked as if she was going to cry as well.  He was saying something that he couldn't hear.  He did not like seeing his boy crying!

"I can't… I can't remember."  Vegeta said as he looked at the goo on his foot and frowned again.

He was very aware of the heavy eyes on him right now.  Very very aware.

"Calm down," Benot said as he walked forward.  "I am sure that he had a good reason."  He blinked at Benot.  Benot, the voice of reason?  This sure was a change.

"Dad!"

He looked over to Cyrus who was struggling to get out of Soyna's arms.  There were still tears on his cheeks and a look that he didn't much to care for on his son's face.  He wasn't supposed to grow up just yet.  He wasn't supposed to have that look.  He was their chance on having a kid that could stay a kid for a little while.  It was their chance to be good parents.

He wanted his son's to stay young and not have to endure what he had in his past.  He wanted them to be children.  He knew that Soyna wanted the same.  He knew that they had not been able to accomplish it as well as they wanted.  He wasn't supposed to grow up so quickly!

"I had to stop him," Vegeta said as he looked down at the ground where the silver ball still oozed blue liquid.  "I don't want to see that dragon."

Dragon?

"What are you talking about?"  He said.  "What are you hiding?"

Vegeta didn't look up at him.

Why wouldn't he look up at him?

"Dad.  Dad!"  Goten found Cyrus attached to his leg.  

"Hell, I wouldn't want to see that dragon either.  It gave me the shivers," Benot said and actually shook a bit.  "It wasn't like before.  I mean, Shelong was always scary, but not like, that scary."

"Dad.  It is really okay.  It is." Cyrus said as he clutched to his leg.  "I don't want to be torn like that."

"Torn?"

His wife spoke the question.  He couldn't read the expression on her face as she looked at them.  He hated it when he couldn't read her expression.  That wasn't a good thing.  She was either really mad or she was really sad.  Either was not a good thing.  The sadness would eventually turn into the anger.  It always did with her.

Cyrus released his grip on his leg and nodded.  But then looked as if he was having a hard time searching for the words to explain what he meant.

Vegeta spoke.  "I don't matter.  It won't happen now."  He said it in a stern voice and he looked to Cyrus and... was there concern in his eyes? 

Cyrus nodded and smiled.

He just stared at them for a minute feeling very confused.

It was his father that spoke for them all, scratching his head and looking more confused than normal.  "Um, I don't get this.  Did I miss something because I am really really confused here."

That was everyone sentiment.

…………………………………………….

Benot did not want the images that he saw to be forgotten.  Ligh was going to try something.  He could not forget that what he had done to him and found himself trying really hard not to rub his throat and he tried really hard to push the thought of how that knife had _felt_ when it cut him.

He made damn sure that his voice was heard.  He really didn't care that the ball was destroyed.  He did think it was for the best and if it prevented that dragon that looked sort of like Shelong but wasn't, that was a good thing.  The dragon that he saw in his vision was a dragon that would destroy everything.  He didn't know how he knew that, but he was pretty sure that it was right.

And he didn't want to loose his little brother.

And he didn't mind getting revenge on that bastard Ligh.  He still woke up from nightmares and having trouble breathing because of that day.  He didn't understand why they didn't kill him.  He knew that a few of them wanted too… who didn't want him dead?  He couldn't remember, but then, he was rather pathetic when he couldn't fight them anyone.  Did they feel sorry for him?  He only remembered that he had missed mom terribly after she vanished.  He had blocked out everything else from that time.

Of course others wanted their voice heard as well.

The chaos that his family could cause among themselves always amazed him.

"Can't we just kill him!"  He yelled at the adults talking.  "You know, like we should have to begin with."

He saw that his mother was on his side, even though she was being abnormally silent and had that _look._  He was never too sure of her when she had that _look._   It usually meant that he was in trouble but he knew that this wasn't the case this time.

She didn't like the fact that he was still alive either.

"We couldn't just kill him!"  Gohan said.

Such a bleeding heart.  

"He was so pathetic after he lost his strength," Pan said.

He rolled his eyes.  

"He could have changed," Videl said.

He thought he was going to throw up!

"We should have got rid of him," Trunks growled slightly.  If he remembered correctly, he just about lost Pan because of that buffoon.  Yeah.  Good to have someone with a proper line of thought.

"Well, it didn't happen," Vegeta said, "And now we will have to deal with him as he deserves.  He has become a mad man in jail and should now be treated as such."

He smiled.  He never thought he would be happy to be part of a lynch mob.  He would be happy to know that Ligh is finally gone.  Maybe his nightmares would stop.

The adults all went into a flurry of conversation about what they should do and how they should go about it.

Adults planned too much.

He tuned them out and found himself looking at Crystal.  She was half hiding behind Trunks.  Like she usually did, she was to shy for her own good, but she seemed to be worried about the conversation the adults were having.

When the conversation turned to the mystery attacker that was coming, she would chew her lip and look like she was going to say something.

"If you had not destroyed that ball, we could find out more details!"  Pan snapped at Vegeta.

"It wouldn't do us any good!  Drak is coming and that is all there is to it!"

"Drak!  How do you know his name?" It was almost in unison.  It sounded a little creepy.

Crystal still looked like she wanted to say something.

Adults could sure make a lot of noise when they argued and get nowhere.  They were all on Vegeta who was stumbling on his words.  Cyrus was trying to say something to help him.

Crystal chewed her lip and flipped her hair back from her face.  She moved a little bit back from her father.  It looked like Trunks was glad to yell at Vegeta right now.  In his mind, Trunks was a little tense right now and really needed to loosen up.  He had just lost his mom though, he could understand his tension.

Crystal was looking at the Silver ball now and kicked the only silver piece that was left and muttered, "Don't need it anyway."

"And why is that Crystal?" he whispered beside her.  She jumped slightly and flushed.  She looked down at her shoes.  He always felt that she was hiding something but he could never pin it down.  She was always nervous around his mother and Vegeta and he was always around them so he never really got to know her but he knew there was something that he was pretty sure that she was hiding.

"It just causes problems," she said in a low voice.  He could barely hear her over the adults who were still acting like children.  The complained about him!  Geez!  "It shows to many options.  It should only show things that are to be, not may be.  You should have been more specific when you made this wish."

"What?" he said.  He couldn't help but stare at her stunned slightly.

"Plus," she continued.  "I can see things fine without it."

"What!"  He blinked at her.

She flushed brighter.  "Can't you see things in your dreams?"

………………………………………

Trunks wanted to strike his father right there for his vague words.  He knew the name, but didn't know how he did?  After this week of hell that he had put him through, he was going to give him this sort of garbage!  Did he enjoy torturing him?  The rage and the pain that he was feeling all this week was coming forth now and he _wanted_ to hit his father.  He deserved it for leaving to deal with all this on his own!  And then attacking Cyrus, not once, but twice!  He was just a boy.  The boy didn't need to know that he was intimately connected to the dragon.  The boy didn't need to know that he carried the one thing that had helped them out a few times and cursed them, all in the same.

He grabbed his father's arm and was even surprised at the fury in his own voice.  "What are you hiding from us?"  He wanted to shake him but knew that it wouldn't do any good.  Why was his father so stubborn?  He wanted to scream at him and yell at him even though he wasn't sure what he was going to say.  

His father looked at him directly in the eyes.  Had he ever done that before?  It startled him slightly as he felt his father's firm hand cover the one that he gripped on to him.  "Son," he sounded unsure of what he was going to say next.  His father?  Unsure?  That never happened!  "I know that I have not been the best of fathers.  I am sorry for that."  His voice was a low whisper.  "I never meant to hurt anyone."  He spoke the last part louder.  "I don't know how I know the name… I seem to know a bunch of things that I shouldn't and…" he rubbed his head as if he were having trouble thinking or trying to remember.  "…I don't want to…" he lost his words and shook his head.  It was Cyrus that spoke up.

"Things will be better."  Cyrus said.  "Okay.  Don't get mad at him.  It is okay.  Really.  My chest doesn't hurt that much."

"But your asthma…" Goten said.

"It's fine.  It's gone now."  Cyrus said as if it was a fact now.

"How can it be gone?" Goten said and shook his head.  "That doesn't just disappear!"

Cyrus looked different for a second.  His eyes flashed darker for a moment and his face went grim.  How could such a small boy look so much older and wiser?   He seemed to be having the same memory problems that Vegeta was having.

Did he miss something here?

He sure felt like he did and it was something big too.

He hated, absolutely hated, being left in the dark!

What weren't they telling him?

"WHAT!"

He jumped slightly at Benot who was yelling at Crystal.  He looked as if he was angry at her.

What was happening his with innocent little girl now?  He was still a little shocked over the fact that she turned gold and was able to knock by Flint rather easily without much training.  He had been (at one point) worried about his shy little girl, but in the last while, he didn't mind it.  Maybe it was for selfish reasons.  He didn't want her running around chasing boys, like his sister had and he really didn't want to worry about boys hovering around his little girl.

He already had Gem saying that she had a boyfriend and she was going to get married when she got into high school.  She had dropped that bombshell on them after she met the new boy, Tommy, at school.  Gem was stubborn.  At least Tommy did not feel that way yet.

"Quit saying that!"  She said to Benot.  "Geez.  I didn't think you were that dense."

"Dense!  Listen here, you wallflower," Benot said to her and pointed at her.  "I was 5 when I made that wish!"

"That explains why it didn't work properly, turnip head."  She said and slapped his hand away.

Benot's face actually went red.

Flint and Flare were trying hard not to laugh at the two.  Cyrus looked on with a sad look on his face and Vegeta just shook his head.  He was pretty sure that he had the same stunned look as the rest of the adults.

"Dreams can't tell the future!"  Benot snapped.

"Mine do!"

Dreams?  Future?  What the hell were they talking about?

It was Soyna that came forward and clamped a hand down on Benot's shoulder.  She hadn't said too much during this whole things.  As a matter of fact, she was almost removed from it.  She was throwing herself in the fray of things now.

"Mom," he said as if he were a bit shocked to see her there.  He smiled up at her and he looked nervous as he did so.  She had that unreadable look on her face.

"Benot," she said.  "I think we should start to prepare."

"But…"

"There is an enemy coming and we do not need to make them among ourselves," she said.  "Was there any indication of time?  How long do we have to prepare?"  Straight to the core of the point.  Soyna was always like that.  Sometimes, he wished he could be more of a father to her, but knew that is not what she wished.

Benot said.  "I don't know."

Crystal said.  "About 6 months."

"How would you know that?" Benot snapped at Cyrstal.  He wanted to slap at the boy for yelling at his little girl.  She was sensitive and shouldn't be treated so roughly.  He was surprised at what happened next.

She snapped right back though, which startled him.  "I dreamt it!  Haven't you been listening to me?"  It startled him to hear that his quiet little girl snap back at him.  Crystal would do that to Gem from time to time, but they were sisters.  They were supposed to fight.  But this is the first time that he had seen her do it to anyone else.  Even as she flipped her hair violently out of her face, she seemed to have changed into a whole new woman.

Woman?

Damn.

She wasn't supposed to grow up so quickly.

Why did the world have to change so quickly all the time?

"Of course I have been listening!"  Benot snapped back at her.  "You are talking like an idiot."

"AN IDIOT!"

"Ow."  Benot cringed as Soyna's hand pressed hard on his shoulder.

"Dad?" Crystal said and looking liked his innocent little girl.  She moved close to him.  He put his arm around her shoulder to protect her.

He shook his head.

His little girl seemed to have so many secrets that he had to talk about.

………………………………….

The house was quiet.

Trunks couldn't sleep.  The day had been more trying that he thought it was going to be and he didn't even go into the office and deal with the falling stock prices.  He would have to go in tomorrow and deal with that situation.  He had to prove that the company would be okay even though his mother was gone.

Even though she was not really a part of the company for as long as he been back from his earlier leave-of-absence.  She was just a figure head but a powerful one.

He sighed heavily.

He missed her so much.

He leaned his head onto his arm and rested it against the table.

He was so tired.  He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

His mother would know what to do to make short work of the day and somehow relieve the tension that he was feeling.

His little girl…Crystal, was no longer a little girl.  She could turn gold and did have a great handle on her power.  She just needs to get some control on her style and he was pretty sure that she would pick up on that quickly.

He heard a noise.  He didn't move.  He did not have the energy to move.  He could feel that it was his father that was approaching him.  He didn't want to talk to his father.

He felt all his anguish well up inside his chest.  He blinked back the tears.  He did not want to deal with his father right now.  He really didn't.

"Son."

He grunted.  He was in no mood to deal with him.

He didn't realize that he had sat in the kitchen while it was dark.  He saw the fridge light go on and then close.  The only light was coming from the living room, where he must have left a light on.

He saw the shadow of his father take a chair next to him and place a bottle near him and he opened one up himself.

He felt the tears again.

He wanted to be alone, even though the cold bottle of beer that his father placed near his hand, was tempting to grab.  He could even smell it.  He refrained from licking his lips.

"I always thought that I would go before your mother.  I thought she would be to stubborn to die before me," he said in a low voice.  It was strangely hushed.  He never knew that his dad could be so quiet.

"I didn't know how to handle loosing her," he took a drink and sat in silence for a bit.

He was just too shocked that his father was talking like this.  His father was not one that talked easily about things unless it involved training or fighting.

He was used to his father being like that.

"I really didn't," Dad said.  His voice lowered further.  "I am sorry, son, for leaving all that to you."

He sat up and blinked at his father.

Vegeta was not looking at him.  He was looking at the wall.  Was his eyes glazed over?

"There are a lot of things that I have to stay sorry to you," his voice was low and his eyes were glistening!  Had he ever seen his father cry?

"It's okay dad," he found himself saying.  The urge to yell and scream at him left.  He wanted to hug his father.  He knew that dad wouldn't like it and that would be pushing it so far.  He knew that this was something that was hard for him and was glad to see that he was trying.

"I should not have been so hard on you with Pan," he said.

"What?"  He was not expecting to hear this!

"I should not have forced you two to tell Gohan.  I should have been understanding," Trunks was shocked that his father was saying this.  His father.  The guy that didn't like the fact that he was breeding with the Kakarott's grand-brat.  He remembered him muttering that one-day before they got married.

"There are quite a few things that I am sorry for."  He said and then sat silently.

He didn't know what to say to him.

"I miss your mother a lot," Vegeta whispered.  "I was not the man that she deserved… I…"  He shook his head.  "I was not the father that you deserved."

This was _his_ father talking?  He was shocked.

"I know that I did something that really screwed things up.  Cyrus was able to stop it from happening again and I… I won't be like that again," Vegeta said in a voice very far away.  He sounded so distant.  He had no idea what his father was talking about.

"The only time that I ever paid attention to you was when you were training," Vegeta said.  "I gave Bra more attention than I ever gave you."  He sighed heavily and shook his head.  "I did not know how to be a father to you."

He couldn't believe that his father was saying such a thing to him.

"You did the best you could," Trunks said.

Vegeta just shook his head.

"I didn't think you really needed me," Vegeta chuckled slightly.  "I knew that you were going to grow up to be a good man.  Of course, I didn't realize the difference there would be between the time line either."

Trunks blinked.  He knew his father compared him to the OTHER Trunks all the time.  He knew that, but learned to blow it off when he was young and after meeting himself for that time, he knew how different, and yet the same, they were.

"That was a mistake."  Vegeta said.

"You were there for me dad," Trunks said.  "I grew up to be okay.  Didn't I?"  he said.  "I may not be the same as the other version of me, but I thought that I turned out okay."

"You did.  Thanks to your mother," he said.

He blinked a bit and found himself opening the bottle and staring at his father.  Was he dreaming all this?  It seemed so surreal.

He had come downstairs because he couldn't sleep and had felt restless and anxious after the day's events.  He was angry but he couldn't remember at what.  He was worried about his little girl.  She was changing into a woman and he wasn't ready for that.

He was feeling old.

Lost.

Now, he could see that his father was feeling the same way.

"Yeah," Vegeta said continuing his thoughts  "You turned out fine.  Both you and Bra turned out fine despite all the crazy stuff that was thrown into your lives.  You are doing a good job with your kids.  You have taken on so many so responsibilities since you have become a man now," he smiled.  "You train, you play with your kids and you run a company."

"It is stuff that I have to do," he said.

"You ran away from that once," Vegeta said.  "I understood why you did it even though I was angry with you.  I did have to deal with your mother and you know how she can hold a grudge.  I should not have been so hard on you when you arrived back from that trip.  I should have stood beside you a little more.  I was more worried about Soyna than how you were handling being introduced to your own child."

Trunks took another drink.  It tasted so good.

"But you handled it well… well, as well as you could with Soyna behaving like… well, like me around you and dealing with those two little mons.… kids being… and then… all that happened…"  Vegeta's voice trailed off.

Trunks smiled.  "That is all behind us now."

Vegeta was silent now.

"We can only home that our kids do better than us," Trunks said.  "It seems that we have enemies to fight yet."

Dad nodded.

The light flicked on in the kitchen and he squinted his eyes as he turned to see who turned on the light.  He was not expecting to see a wide-eyed Crystal looking at them with a worried look on her face.

"What are you doing up, Princess?" Trunks asked.

She chewed her lip and flipped her hair out of her face.  "I had a dream again."

Yes.  He had to deal with her dreams now, didn't they?

"What was it about?" Vegeta asked.

She shrugged and walked forward and crawled into his lap.  She seldom did that anymore.  "Fights.  You know we could loose the fight."  She said.  "We have to stay together."

"Are we going anywhere?"  Trunks asked and smiled at her.

She shook her head.  "My dreams are changing.  They are confusing me."  She said.  "You aren't leaving anymore are you, grandpa?"  She looked to Vegeta.  "You are staying now, right?"

Vegeta nodded.  "I don't plan on leaving.  I am staying."

She smiled brightly at that.  "Good!"

"Someone has to teach you how to fight, properly," Vegeta said and finished off the bottle.  He looked relieved to be interrupted.  He was curious as to what else his father would have apologized for but he would have to wait for later.

She frowned.  "I still have to keep training."  There was a whine in her voice.

"Certainly," Vegeta said and stood.  He patted her head and walked out of the kitchen and shut off the light that was in the living room.

Crystal shook her head.  "Well, I am not getting my belly pierced."

He would have fallen out of the chair if she was not in his lap.  He didn't want to know where that came from.  She was way to young to be talking like that…. "What does that have to do with anything?"  he said.

She just smiled at him and looked like his innocent little girl again, but that was brief, because there was a sparkle in her eye that scared him a bit.

…………………

Sorry, it took so long.  Life, you know.  I think there will be two more and then I will be completed this version of the INE universe.

**Thanks for your patience and being patient for the next chapters.**

**(At least this version of it… I haven't had any new dreams yet so I haven't gone off on a new tangent.**

**Yet….)**

**Soyna**


	38. Moments

38

Moments

Goten bit his lip as he looked at his wife.

She had just gotten out of the shower and was drying herself off.  Her back was to him and it was pleasantly bare and her tail was looped loosely around her waist.   Her head was cocked to one side as she dabbed at her hair with the towel that was draped over her front.

It was the sexiest thing that he had ever seen his life.  He would never admit it to anyone that he found her tail the most desirable thing about her.  If anyone asked, he would say that it was her legs, which were wonderful, but the way that tail laid loosely on her hips and the way it glistened against her damp skin, it drove him absolutely wild.

She turned slightly towards him.

"You have that look again," she said trying to make her face look stern but there was laughter in her voice.

"Sorry," he whispered and came towards her.

She turned her back to him again and continued to dry the other side of her hair.  He knew that he most likely would get an elbow in the gut for coming up behind her and nuzzling her neck.  He wanted to do it and the little bit of discomfort would be worth it.

She reached around her and was pleasantly surprised when she actually was smiling as he nibbled on her throat and held her tight.

"You're terrible," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered into the sweet smelling skin and damp hair as he held her tight.

She gave a little laugh and leaned into him and he gladly took the weight.

"You are still worried about Cyrus, aren't you?" he asked in a soft voice.

She made a little noise and nodded her head.  "He is not… his actions worry me."

"You aren't going to start blaming yourself again?" he asked.  She stiffened a bit and she looked a little sad.  He wished he didn't bring it up.  He knew that she still felt guilty for allowing the dragon to have his wish.  To let the dragon's soul have the freedom for the life of her child that lay dead in her arms.  He knew his dad felt bad about not understanding the dragon and how to control it like he should have.  There was a lot of guilt for things that couldn't be controlled.

They had been put in a very bad position and they did what they thought was the only way out.  He kept thinking back to that day.  It was the only way that he could see them all coming out of it alive.

"Vegeta was acting weird also," Goten said.

She grunted a little.  She leaned a little further into him.  He wished he could make all the problems go away.  "Yes.  He was.  I don't know what to make of what came over him.  He did love Bulma quite a bit.  It must have paid a terrible toll on him."  He could feel her tail winding around his waist and under his shirt.  God, he loved that!

"I think Trunks has the most problems.  Crystal sure has been coming out of her shell," Goten said and shook his head.  She wasn't bad around him, but she always seemed fearful of Vegeta and Soyna.  She seemed to be getting over that and he had never seen her argue with anyone but Gem and that argument that she had had with Benot was rather amusing.  And of course, how could he forget that she had been hiding the fact that she could go gold.

He would have to talk to Trunks about that.  He did look rather worried.

Soyna smiled a bit and turned into him.  The towel dropped to the floor and she was nuzzled up against him in her full naked glory.  Her tail was still around his waist.  She knew that he liked that.  She was purposely driving him nuts.

He breathed her in and pulled her up to kiss her and then set her back down again.

"Did I tell you that you were terrible?" she said with a wicked and cute little smile.  Wicked and cute… who ever thought those would go together?

"Yeah," he said and smiled down at her.

"MOM!"

"DAD!"

He groaned.  There was pounding at the door.  Soyna rested her forehead against his chest and he rested his chin on her head.

"HE IS BEING A JERK!"

"SHE THREW AN APPLE AT ME!"

Ah, the price of having children.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY HAIR!"

"YOU CUT MY FAVORITE SHIRT UP!"

"Does this ever end?" Goten sighed as she pulled away, almost as reluctantly as he was.  She picked up the towel.

"It never ends," she said and gave him one more long look at her body.  "I will get dressed.  Try to get a straight story out of those two."

He sighed as she walked into the closet.  He looked at the door that was shaking slightly.

"JERK!"

"BITCH!"

Woah.  They were getting vicious.

He opened the door and prepared for the onslaught of his children's voices.  Of course, he wasn't prepared to see his daughter missing one pigtail and his son with a black eye and holding a tattered blue shirt.

Flint was having a really rough day.  Getting beaten by Crystal and then, tortured by his sister.

……………….

Cyrus sighed as he sank into his sheets.  They felt so good and comfortable and … it was all over.

He didn't have to worry about that snake marking his skin.  He didn't have to worry about being torn.  He didn't have to worry about his mother trying to kill Vegeta.  He didn't have to worry anymore.

He didn't ever remember feeling such a peace.

He knew that there was a big fight coming up but things felt so much better now and he felt at peace.  Even with now knowing about the dragon that resides within.  He would remain whole.

He was pretty sure it would be an asset now not the curse that it had become in the other life that he was grateful that he wouldn't have to live now.

"Can I come in?"

He looked up to see his mother standing at the door.  She looked in with a slightly worried look on her face.  He thought she would be dealing with Flint and Flare who had sounded like they were killing each other earlier.  She must have left that up to Dad.

"Sure," he said.

He was glad to see his mom.  She had just had a shower and she looked a lot more relaxed than she did out in the yard.

"You look tired," she said and sat on the edge of his bed.  That was where she used to read him story to him to help him go to sleep.  She hadn't done that for a while and he forgot that he had missed that.

"I am." He said.  Everyone was going to be okay.  His mom would live.  His dad would live.  He bit his lip at the faded and pained history that he made sure wasn't going to happen now.  He rushed at her and gave her a big hug.  She embraced him after making a surprised little sound and gasp.

"Are you okay?" she asked and stoked his hair.

It felt like it had been forever.

"Uh-huh," he said and pushed back the tears.  He didn't have to cry now.  They weren't going to die.

She looked at him and frowned.  "Cryus, we haven't…" she let out a sigh.  "I didn't ever want you to know about the dragon.  I am still ashamed of the decision that I made."

"It's okay mom.  I am not mad at you.  I understand why you did it.  Plus, if you didn't, I wouldn't have Benot around to protect me from Legen." He said with a smile.

She smiled back at him, but it was still a sad smile.

"It's really okay now," he said.  "It really is.  You don't have to worry about me being sick anymore either.  That will all stop.  I will be strong and healthy, just like everyone else."

"And how do you know this?" she asked and stoked his hair.  At least she wasn't patting his head.

He knew the answer but the words were not forming right.  He just let out a big sigh.  "I can't explain it mom.  I can't.  I am sorry.  But I know that is going to be okay.  I promise.  You know that I don't lie to you."

She smiled.  She still looked so sad, but it was an improvement.  He knew that it would take her awhile.  It always did with mom.  She was not one to just jump into things unless she was forced too.

She stood up and was about to leave.

He didn't want her to leave the room.

"Mom!"

There was a little too much urgency in his voice.  She turned sharply with a worried look on her face.  He hated making her worry.

He blushed a little and pulled the blankets under his chin.  "Can you read me a story?"  He felt a little foolish asking that but he missed the soft sound of her voice as she would read the silly childish stories that his grandparents, well, grandmothers bought him all the time.

She smiled brightly.  Not so sad anymore.

He was happy that he asked and even more pleased to have her come and pull a book out of the shelf and begin to read to him.

It was amazing how she could ignore the rest of the house.

He was home.

Everything was going to be okay now.

He did not remember ever being so happy before.

……………………………..

Trunks had not meant to be so long at work.  The house was quiet as he walked in the door and he hated himself for getting tied up in work.

He went up to his room and saw Pan sleeping.

She looked so beautiful.

Had he told her that lately?

He dropped his jacket on the floor not caring that she would complain about that in the morning.

He watched her for a bit.  She looked so relaxed and peaceful as she lay under the feather comforter.

He took a deep breath and went to wash up.  He was shocked as he looked in the mirror and saw how he looked.

He felt old and … was that a gray hair?  He leaned into the mirror and looked at his bangs.  Damn it.  It was.  His eyes looked so tired.  He wanted to crawl into bed and never get out of it again.

He splashed his face with water a few times.  He felt a little better

He found himself staring at the gray hair that had invaded his head.  He did not like that at all.  No one else in the family had gray hair… well, grandpa did and he did take after his grandfather.

Damn.

He changed into a pair of shorts and then looked in the mirror again.  Old people did not look like he did.  It was just a trying week.  That was all, when things calmed down… well, as they prepared to fight yet another enemy, things could get back to normal and he would have to pluck out the annoying gray hair later.

Right now, bed was calling him.

He tried not to disturb Pan but she opened her eyes as he crawled under the warm covers.  She smiled at him and cuddled up close to him.  He was kind of glad that he did wake her up now.  Her touch was always the most comforting thing in the world for him.

He squeezed her tight and kissed her.

"Rough day?" she whispered, her voice still full of sleep.

"Uh-huh," he whispered.  "How was yours?"

"Busy.  Mom and I went to talk to the cops about Ligh and had his cell searched.  He did have a transmitter.  He has gone a little crazy in there.  He looks like a mad man.  He was a little scary.  He really wants to get back at us," she said in a sleepy voice.  Something so serious sounded so casual coming out of her mouth.

Of course, they had dealt with so much garbage in the past years, that this was almost becoming common.  He found himself frowning.

Pan yawned loudly and stretched against him.  It was a lovely feeling.  "Crystal was right and so was Vegeta.  He went on and was babbling about his uncle, Drak, coming to avenge his brother and to save him and somehow give him his strength back so that he could have revenge on us all."  She put her warm hand against his stomach and one of her legs wrapped around his.  "He even did the evil laugh thing."

"Evil laugh thing?"

"You know," she said and cleared her throat.  "Buh-ha-ha-ha.  You know that type of thing."  She had a smile on her face now and had a sparkle in her eyes.  Her hand was now on his hip and tugging at his shorts.

"He got really mad when we destroyed his transmitter.  He got transferred to the loony bin.  I don't have the heart to kill him," she said.

He could have, but he kept his mouth shut.  With her hand wandering the way it was, he didn't want to ruin the moment.  He didn't think he had the energy for this but his body was proving otherwise.  He didn't feel so old and tired at the moment.

"You have been busy," he said and ran his hand up her back until his hand was entangled in her hair.  He was pleasantly surprised to find her naked.  She looked good in those outfits that she bought every now and then, but he usually just tore those off so that he could admire her.  Of course, he couldn't tell her that though.  It was part of the game.  It was always fun undressing her.

She made a content little noise and her hand moved away from his shorts, snapping them gently.  He didn't hide his disappointment.  She just giggled at him.  "You haven't told me about your day?" she said and suddenly she was on top of him.  The blanket draping over her shoulders and he could see her in all her glory for a quick moment before she began to nuzzle his neck and her warm body pressed tightly to his.

"You know," he said quickly.  "Work.  Papers.  Phone calls."  Her teeth grazed his ear.  

He was no longer in the mood to talk.

………………………..

Goku looked down at his wife with worry.

He had come back for her.  To be the husband that he couldn't be when he was younger.  The dragon had allowed that when he should still be wandering the universe.  The dragon had allowed him to remember his family and who he had been.  He had been immortal.  He had thought that he would have to wander again, but then fate came into play once again.

He had never really thought about her dying.

He didn't want to loose her like Vegeta lost Bulma.

She was sleeping peacefully now and he didn't feel right bringing it up to her.  He didn't want to trouble her.  She worried about him too much anyway.  He didn't want to add something else to the list.

She was older.

She was human.

She aged.

He aged slower.

He swallowed hard.  He knew they would be rejoined in heaven.  He knew that they would be together there, but it did not comfort him as it should.  It didn't comfort Vegeta much either.

He did love her.  He fought to protect her and his children.  He didn't do it just for himself, even though she accused him of that at times.

She smiled in her sleep and looked young again.  He couldn't help but smile at her.  She loved him despite him leaving her alone so many times.  Leaving to go fight and leaving her behind to worry about him.  He had left her when he died and he had not even thought about how she felt.

He thought about it now.

He hated himself for neglecting her so.

This was his time to make up for all those mistakes.

Had he done that?  He wasn't too sure.  There never seem to be enough time.  Vegeta found that out the hard way with Bulma's sudden death.

"I am sorry," he whispered and felt old tears that he had not allowed to emerge.  He felt his body shaking.  He was glad that she slept.  "I will try harder to be a loving husband."  His voice cracked and he hated the way he sounded.  It was so un-warrior like.  "I will be a better grandfather.  I will not train all day."

He knew it would be hard, even with a battle coming, but he had to.  He knew he could do it again.  He did it for Cell, he could do it for this Drak fellow.

For ChiChi.

………………………………

Gohan had not like sending his wife off to deal with Ligh in the jail but he had and she didn't seem the least bit upset over it.  Of course, she could take care of herself just fine, he knew that, but he couldn't help but want to protect her.

Weren't guys supposed to do that?

"Gohan?"

He looked over to Videl.  He had gotten out of bed.  He wasn't that sleepy.  Well, he was, but he was also a bundle of nerves.  He was just sitting at her vanity chair and staring out the window and had been contemplating at how calm the world was and how quickly that all seemed to change for them.

He smiled at her.  She looked beautiful with her hair all a mess and her eyes all squinty with sleep.

He couldn't believe that he sent his wife and daughter to do that dirty work.  When did he care about his job that much?  The kids he taught were important, but shouldn't his family be the first things on his mind. 

When was the last time he really fought?  When was the last time that he really flexed his muscles?

He hadn't really fought anyone, had he?  He was to late with Krad and Goten had not really forgiven him for that.  He had lost Soyna, even though they had not been an official item at the time.   The same thing happened with Ligh.  He was useless!  The only battle he had fought… well… he had lost his daughter to Trunks, but that would have been a loosing battle anyway.

"What are you doing up?" she asked as she stretched.

"Thinking."  He felt depressed.

"Stop it and come to bed," she said in a stern but gentle voice.  He complied and curled up beside her and hugged her, probably a little to tight.

"Don't worry about things.  Gohan," She said.  "Things always turn out alright."  She rubbed his arm, trying to comfort him.

"I should have gone and dealt with Ligh," he said.

She slapped him.  A gentle playful slap.  "Quit being such a worry wart.  He wasn't a threat to us and you know it."  He could feel her shake her head at him as she cuddled close to him.  "If it makes you feel better.  I wished you could have taken the day off."

"You wanted me there," he said and knew that his voice was betraying itself.

She slapped him again, this one was not so gentle.  "No, you silly fool!"  She also poked a finger into his side causing him to squirm.  "I wanted you."

He blinked a few times and tried to see her face in the dark.  "I don't worry about anyone that attack us anymore.  We will always triumph."  She sounded so confident.  "As long as I have you."

She hadn't talked to him like that in a long time.  Loss makes you think about those things.  He hugged her close, even though she protested slightly.  "I could call in sick tomorrow."

She giggled.

It was the best sound in the world.

……………………………..

Junior didn't mean to make her cry.  Marron was balling her eyes out as she was holding a small piece of paper in her hand.  "I'm sorry Marron.  If that is not what you want…"

"You big dummy!"  She sobbed and threw herself at him.  He caught her and hugged her.  He would never understand women.  "This is wonderful!"

She continued to cry and clutch the small card.

He didn't ask her why she was crying.  He knew that would not be a good question.  She then kissed him roughly and quickly.  Her hands going to his hair.  He was startled by the passion.  It wasn't that they hadn't kissed before, but she was acting… acting… well, hungry was the only word he could find.

He kissed her back and then found himself pushed back onto the couch rather roughly.  Marron seldom used her strength but she was using it now.  She looked at the card again and the tears were sliding down her cheeks again.

He was confused.

"You like the idea?" he asked.

"Yes!"  She said and dropped herself in his lap.  She nearly knocked the wind out of him and before he could recover his breath, she was kissing him again.  If he had known she was going to do this, he would have done it a long time ago.

"When can we go?"  she said when she came up for air.  He was to stunned to respond for a second.

She began to give him an impatient look.

"Uh, In two weeks.  It is all planned."  He said as he looked up at her.  Her hair was framing her face and he cheeks were flushed with excitement.  

"Have you told everyone else?" she asked as she sat back a little bit.  She brought the little card to her chest.

He shook his head.  "Trunks is the only one that knows but he won't tell anyone.  He needs me for the next little while at work, but he said that I should take a good two weeks off and more if we needed it.   I just want it to be me and you before things get crazy.  I want to marry you."  He was even pleased that he was able to say it.  Marriage had scared him at first.  He didn't know why really.  What was wrong with staying with someone you loved for the rest of your life?  He forgot all the reason he had for being worried about it.

"I thought you would get mad at me for suggesting that we elope." He added.  "I thought you would want that big wedding thing."

"We can have a party when we come back," she said and cuddled against his chest and looked at the card.  She ran her finger over the heart on the cover and then opened it again.  "I will be so romantic," she said.  "We will take lots of pictures."  It took him a long time to figure out the words to put in the card.  It took him a really long time but he wrote down the simple words.  _I love you.  I want to marry you like the princess that you are._  Then he had enclosed a picture of a castle.  He had the arrangements already made.  _ Come away with me and marry me.  Let's elope.  _ Had been the last words and he signed his name at the bottom.  Not Junior.  But Vegeta.

"Oh," she cooed.  "A real castle."

He smiled and hugged her close.

He didn't want to loose her.  He wanted to be with her forever.

"'Geta," she purred and kissed him again.

He loved it when she did that.

………….

A little mushy, but I had to add it… 

**Soyna.**


	39. The Battle

39

The Battle

Vegeta felt as if his skin was going to fall off.  Those weasel type things had sliced him up pretty good.  He could no longer hold onto the supersaiyian strength.  He could barely breath.  The last blow that the creatures had landed had cracked a few ribs.

It was Crystal that was protecting him now and he didn't like that idea too much.  She wasn't ready for such a fight but she had thrown herself in the middle of it all.  He had followed the escapee Ligh with the intent on killing him, not realizing that he was being led into a trap.  He felt like a fool for falling for it.

Crystal had followed him.

She had taken out two of the weasel type things and there were only two more left and a laughing Ligh.

"You aren't ready for this," he gasped as he looked at her.  She was at level 3 and looking as strong as ever.  He was proud of her accomplishments in such a short time of training but she was not ready for a battle.  Her hair twirled around her and touched the ground and she looked a lot older than she should.  He tried to stand but his knee gave out.  He looked down at it and was shocked to see the bone sticking sharply out.  When did that happen?  The weasel things weren't that strong.  They were just fast.

"Don't argue, grandpa," she said in a calm voice and didn't take her eyes off the circling enemy.  "Just rest for now.  I will take care of the rest." She said.

Ligh laughed above them with his annoying maniacal laughter.  "I will have my revenge on Vegeta and I will not be phased by you little girl."  He laughed.  Vegeta wanted to strangle him.  He looked like a mad man.  Not the clean-cut boy that they had put in jail.  He was a man now, with long white hair that flew wildly around his head and a sparkle in his eyes that shouldn't be there.  Imprisonment had not done him any good.

"You underestimate me," Crystal said in that still calm voice.  She ran a hand through her hair and smiled.  It was not a pleasant smile.   It seemed to unnerve Ligh a little, he seemed a little taken aback by her confidence.

He quickly covered it up with a chuckle.  "You are just a little girl.  Why should I be scared of you?"

"Because I am the one that makes the decision of whether you live or die."  She said and killed one of those weasel things to emphasize her point.  He didn't even see her move her hand to blast the thing, but she had done it.

She was holding back!

Ligh just laughed.  "With my uncle here and his army, you won't get rid of me that easily."

She sighed and started to change.  Her yellow hair started to shorten and turn back to purple.  Her eyes started to darken and looked deeper than he remembered her eyes ever being.  Her body changed into that of a full-grown woman's.  She was at level 4!  She flipped her hair and looked at the last remaining weasel thing who was now looking a little scared.

They had not been scared of him when he ascended to level 4 but they were scared of her.

The weasel was looking for an escape and Crystal was not going to allow it.

Ligh was left to defend himself.

"What?  How?  How can you be so strong?" Ligh said and did look scared.  "You aren't supposed to be that strong!  You are just a girl.  You are just a kid."

"Yeah.  I know.  A girl.  But I am a girl who has the blood of two saiyians mixed with that of humans.  It is rather potent." She said as she rose.  She only glanced down at him briefly and was now concentrating on Ligh.  "I don't want to kill you but I will if I have too."

"I will not be imprisoned again!  I will not be as weak as a human again!  I cannot live like that!"  his blue eyes flared with anger as she attacked Crystal.

He tried to get up.  He had to protect his granddaughter but the broken leg reminded him of how injured he was but by then, he saw that Crystal did not need his assistance.  She could take care of herself just fine.

He watched as she blocked all of Ligh's blows and let him think that there was a chance.  It lasted only a minute before she just shook her head and grabbed one of his hands.  "It doesn't have to be this way."

"I can't see any other way!"  Ligh growled at her and tried to kick her.  It hit her in the side but she did not even flinch at that.  Her shirt lifted slightly and showed the soft purple fur that grew on her sides.  He didn't think that the female saiyian grew fur there.  Of course, he didn't ask Soyna when they fought if she had fur there and as far as he knew, she was the only other female saiyian that could go to level 4.

She shook her head and looked rather sad.

She threw Ligh down to the earth and he crashed down beside him.  Before he could react, she was ontop of him: A foot on his throat and the other on his stomach.  Ligh let out an awful scream.  He was bested and he knew it.

He was able to sit up now and breath a little better but he didn't dare involve himself.  Well, he didn't need to anyway.  Crystal looked like she had it well in hand.

"I don't want to kill you!"  She yelled at him as is she had a new anger rise in her.  She was crying now.  "Why do you have to force me to do this?"  he couldn't understand why she was crying.

She moved off of him and knelt beside him.  It was the most confusing thing he had ever seen.  She took his hand and held it in her own.  Ligh looked as confused as he felt.  "Things could be different, if you want them to be."

He pulled his hand away from her and scrambled away from her.  "I will be no one's slave!"  He said.  He sounded winded and he looked like he was trying to gather enough energy for an attack.  He was bested.  Anything he could muster, he knew that his granddaughter could take care of.

"We could have been happy together," Crystal whispered.

The energy that Ligh was gathering disappeared.  "What?"

Exactly what he was going to say!  She stayed knelling that way with tears rolling down her cheeks.  She remained knelling and looked as if she was trying to reach for him but she did not move.  "If you only had realized what a jerk your father really was to you.  If you only realize that your uncle is using you to gain the power of the whole empire."  The tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes lightened a bit.  "You could have stayed  here in peace.  With us."

He blinked and shook his head.  "I won't be tricked by you fools!"  He got to his feet and looked like he was going to try to attack Crystal again.  "You cannot understand… you cannot be… you…"  Ligh gave out a frustrated scream.  He then attacked her again.  He tried to shout her a warning but it was already to late.  He punched her but she didn't move.  The tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

"Crystal!"  he called but she was not listening to him and Ligh was no longer paying any sort of attention to him.

She grabbed one of his hands and looked up at him.  He was straining to hit her but she was not even fazed by the strength of the attack.  "I didn't want to kill you Ligh.  I really didn't but if you insist on trying to hurt me and my family, I have to kill you!"

He gasped.

She raised her hand.

Ligh was gone in a large blast that obliterated him into nothing.

The area was so quiet now.  All he could hear was his heart thudding in his chest.  "Crystal?" he whispered.  She hadn't moved.

She let out an awful scream and an immensely powerful wave of power left her body.

He had to protect his eyes and brace himself.

It was a quick burst and it stopped almost as quickly as it started and there sat his little granddaughter.  No longer looking like a woman but the child that she was.  She wiped her cheeks and looked over to him.

"Are you alright?" he asked.  He didn't understand what she was trying to say to Ligh or why she was so upset over killing him.

She smiled.  "Fine.  You on the other hand, look like crap, grandpa," she said and walked over to him.  "I should get you to see Raymond."

"There is still Drak to deal with."  He said as she helped him up on his one good leg now.  The bone moved and he really thought for a second, he was going to loose his lunch.

"Dad will be done with him soon," she said with confidence.  He could still feel a battle going on and he did have the urge to try to fight, even though his condition was pretty bad and his head was feeling pretty light.  That is what it was to be a saiyian.

"I…" he started to say.

"Don't argue with me grandpa.  They can deal with him just fine.  It is just about over." She said and began to levitate.  He didn't have the strength to help her.  He felt pathetic having her help him.

"But…"

"Grandpa.  It's really okay.  I promise," she said with a frown and looked at his leg.  "Eww.  That is so gross."

He looked down at his leg again and agreed with her.  He never remembered having protruding bones before; dislocated bones, but not protruding bones.  He thought it would hurt more.  But then, he was pretty sure that he was in shock right now.  He should be in a lot more pain.

He felt a power surge.  His son.  What were they doing?

………………..

Goten panted as he looked at Drak.  He was stronger than he looked but then, it was cyberware that was doing that.  There were sparks coming from one of his shoulders and he did not look at all phased by it or were his little weasely minions that were being chased around. He got one of the creatures and crushed it and he could see his wife chasing after then and looking slashed up as well.  She was the quickest of them all.  She had always been that way and she had gotten three of them by his count.  Gohan, Goku and Trunks had gotten two of them.  He had lost the use of one of his arms somewhere in this little game.  Pan had not got one yet but she was just trying to defend herself now.

He didn't know if it was Drak, or one of the other creatures that messed his arm up.  He stood beside her and she almost leaned against him.  She was panting for breath.  She couldn't seem to get her power enough to attack.

"You okay Panny?" he asked and was surprised to hear how winded he sounded.

"Uh," he said and leaned against him fully.

This was not good.

Drak was laughing.  Soyna was growling something at him and she was not amused.  Drak stopped laughing and glared at her.  She had that look on her face.   She was playing with him.  Well, it was better than her being total serious.  Last time she did that, she ended up dead.

Goku took out another one of those weasel things.

There were five left.

"I can't keep up this," Pan said through her teeth.  "I can't…"  he felt her strength wane and he grabbed her before she crumpled to the ground.  He was going to call to Trunks but he spotted it already.

"PAN!"  he screamed.  She didn't look like she was that hurt.   She was scratched up a little bit but he couldn't see what else was wrong with her.  Gohan and Goku looked down at him as well.  They all sparkled with new anger as they saw her lying limp in his arms. 

Soyna was still concentrating on Drak.

He shook her gently and she moaned.  "Panny?"  he whispered.  "Are you okay?"

No real response.

It scared him.

"PAN!"  Trunks screamed again and came down towards them.  Or at least tried too.  One of those weasel things grabbed hold of his arm and twisted him around, leaving a nasty looking gash there.  Trunks threw the anger at the furry little demon and another one bit the dust.  "Pan!"  Trunks called again.

She whispered his name but then, she was out cold.

Trunks saw the slump in Pan and his eyes flashed.  He had never seen his eyes do that before.  Never in all his life had he ever seen such pure fury in his friend.  Gohan and Goku were working together to keep the weasel things away from them and Soyna and Drak who were starting their own little war it seemed.

He felt the earth shake.  He felt the power from Trunks in a mad rush.

It was the first time that he had ever seen Trunks go to level 3 on his own.  And the power in that form was amazing!  The only way that he could compare it was to the same as Soyna's when she was at level 4.  He probably could have kicked her butt, if he could have caught her.

She always seemed to have that speed advantage and she was using it now.

Drak was showing obvious sign's of frustration as the fact that he could not catch her.  Soyna was at level 4 but she was reaching her limit on it and the strain was showing but if she keep her concentration, she could still do some damage.  He saw her look down at him once or twice but was trying to remain focused on the battle that she started.  But he was focusing on Trunks.  Even Gohan was a little taken aback by the change in his son-in-law and Goku just smiled.

"YOU HURT HER!"  Trunks bellowed.

Soyna's attention was moved to Trunks and it was a good thing that she did.  She moved aside, just in time to allow Trunks to, literally, tear a strip out of Drak.  It was pure fury that was running Trunks now and he was tearing Drak apart!  He watched in amazement at this.  He had seen enemies and had fought many battles, but never, had he actually torn an enemy apart before.  At the other time, he just tended to blast them away.  It kept them from coming back from their graves.

Trunks was slicing and dicing with his hands.  Riping and tearing without any mercy as a shocked Drak was reduced to bits and pieces that Soyna gladly obliterated for him.  She was no longer at the higher level but at level 2.  

The remaining two weasel things left the scene rather quickly.

Pan opened her eyes and groaned.  "What happened?"

Gohan and Goku were at his side quickly and taking a hand of Pan in each of theirs  "Are you okay?"  they both asked.

She just blinked as she looked to see Trunks, panting and covered with blood and oil as he still floated in the air.  He had not calmed down enough yet.

"She's okay!"  Goten called up.  "Trunks.  She's okay."

Soyna floated beside him and looked down but did not say anything.

"Why didn't you tell me?"  Trunks said as he now floated down.  His anger seemed to be turning to Pan now.

"Tell you what?"  Pan said and grunted as Gohan gave her a large hug and was even weeping happily that she was all right.

Goku looked like he wanted to grab Pan from Gohan and hug her as tightly.   They were not paying attention to the still angry looking Trunks.

Trunk's was going to say something but was cut off by a relatively small blast that had occurred in the direction that Vegeta had run off to.  Vegeta, but before they could get to worried, Crystal showed up with a banged up Vegeta and a gruesomely broken leg.  She had on a large smile.  "Hi everyone," she said with a smile.  She didn't look worse for wear.  "Ligh's dealt with."

Soyna went to her side and took Vegeta from her.  Vegeta looked a little bit green as he looked at his leg.

Trunks looked over to her and his aura faded a bit as he saw her.  "Are you alright?"

She nodded.  "Just fine," she said and walked over to her father and gave him a hug.  He seemed to calm down a lot and even powered all the way down.  "Dad?  Are you okay?  Did Ligh give you a lot of problems?"

Vegeta gave a little grunt,  "Crystal took care of it."  He was leaning rather heavily on Soyna.  He really needed to go see Raymond.  He was hurt the worst out of all of them.

"Crystal?"  Pan said as she pulled away from her father and managed to avoid Goku.  "You fought him?"

She looked a little sad for a moment and sighed.  "Yeah.  I had to kill him.  He won't be bothering us anymore."  She sounded disappointed.

Goten was about to suggest that they all go see the doctor and get their wounds cleaned.  His arm was starting to hurt now that the adrenalin was leaving his system.  It felt like something as broken in his shoulder.  He couldn't get up from the place where he had been holding Pan.  It was really starting to hurt.

Trunks turned back to Pan and looked a little upset again.  He asked the question again, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She looked at him confused.   "Tell you what?"

"Why couldn't you hold your strength?"  he snapped at her.  "I know that you are better than that!"  he was almost growling.  Gohan stood beside her and looked angrily at Trunks.

"What the hell are you talking about?"  she said.  "I don't know what was happening.  I haven't had…"  a look of shock came over her face and then tears formed in her eyes.

It was all very confusing.  Why was she crying and Trunks angry?

It was Crystal that spoke.  "Dad, mom didn't know."  They both looked at her.  "She didn't know yet."

Trunks just blinked.  Pan was crying now.  "Oh my god.  I didn't even think about that… I mean…"  she went into her father's arms.  Dad was looking a little lost. I think I had that same look.  "… I would have never gone into battle if I had known!"  Trunks looked ashamed that he had been angry with her.

"What is happening?"  Goku said and knelt down by Goten.  He finally noticed that he couldn't get up and went to help his son.

Crystal smiled brightly.  "I am going to have a little brother."

………………………….

Raymond was kept rather busy. 

 He took care of Vegeta's leg first.  The moving it back into place caused everyone to wince.  Vegeta looked green for quite awhile after it.

Flare got hurt by one of the weasel things and Flint carried her back and he was rather frantic that his sister was hurt.  It took Goten holding him down to calm him and Raymond repeatedly saying that she was going to be all right to get him to calm down.  Soyna helped in dressing her wounds.  Bra tried to help but her large belly kept getting in the way.  She was due any day… well, actually second.

Pan and Trunks got over the shock of the fact that she was with another child.  And over the shock that Crystal knew about.  Her only explanation was, "I dreamt that I had a little brother."

Of course, she wasn't explaining a lot.  She would get this look on her face and almost look like she was going to start to cry.  Gem even tried to ask her what was wrong, but she would just shake her head.  It was Vegeta that asked for it to be dropped.  He didn't understand too much of what she had said, but he was pretty sure that it had to do with her dreams.

She would explain when she was ready.

Pan was getting a little overwhelmed with her father, and her grandfather and her husband hovering over her.

"How did it happen?"  Goku asked.

Both Pan and Trunk's face turned bright red and they looked at the floor.  Gohan shook his head at his father and looked a little embarrassed himself.  Goku then realized what he asked.  "No, not that… I mean… I thought," he stammered over his words.  "I thought that you had taken… you know… precautions."  Goku's cheeks flared red.

Pan groaned.  "We did grandpa.  I guess they didn't work," she said.  "But… I think it will be nice having a boy around the house."

"I agree with that," Vegeta mumbled.

When Legen and Benot finally returned, with Cyrus.  Soyna, who had been looking rather tense and nervous, gave out a huge sigh of relief at the sight of her sons.  She gave each of them a hug and then went to tend to their wounds.  The only one that was injured as Legen who had a part of his shoulder ripped apart.  Soyna went to tend the gash that was there.

"How did it happen?"  Soyna asked.

Legen spoke through his teeth.  "They were going to attack Cyrus."  He made a whimpering noise as she applied a cloth to his cut.  "I am the only one allowed to pick on him."

She pressed a little harder on his wound but still smiled at the comment.

Cyrus was not as amused.

It was Benot that announced that the army ship was still in the middle of the desert as if it were waiting the return of their leader.

"They'll leave soon.  They are no longer a threat to us," Crystal said at hearing that.  "They are nothing without their leader."

"And how would you know this?  Dreams again?"  Benot snapped at her.

"Yeah," she said in a calm voice.

Benot rotated his shoulders.  "What if they come back with someone else?  We have to go out there and destroy the ship and the army."

"They'll be back, but they will be asking for our help," she said.  "SO LAY OFF!"

"Why should we trust your dreams?"  Benot growled at her.

She raised her hands and rolled her eyes.  "Do I have to explain it to you… AGAIN?"

It was Gohan who put a hand on his granddaughters shoulder and stopped the argument.  "We will talk about all this later.  Right now, we have to make sure that everyone is okay.  Everyone can get some sleep and then tomorrow, we can go on with out lives."

"Snob," Benot sniffed.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Cyrus gave out a sigh and had a strange look on his face.  A look almost looked as if he were happy but also, tired.  A strange look on a boy.

…………………


	40. 10 years later tournament

40

Aftermath 2

–10 years later.

-Tournament

"Dad said I could enter the tournament too!"  The young boy that was about 8 years old taunted his older siblings.  He grinned widely and his blue eyes sparkled as he bounded around the room.

"You have to pass the preliminary's," spoke a boy about 10 years old.  His eyes were black and held a lot of distain for his little brother at the moment.  He stood with his arms crossed and was leaning against a wall.  His dark hair, in the right light, had a hint of purple in it.  He was not pleased with his little brother at the moment.  Of course, he wasn't happy about the fact that his pesky little brother would be entering now too.

 "Kiss my ass! Garnet!"  The little boy said and stuck his tongue out.

Garnet pressed his arms tighter into his chest and grit his teeth.  "Watch your mouth, Topaz!"  He was really annoyed by his brother.  He promised dad that he would only fight in the ring today.  No fighting with his brother.  He really wanted to break his promise.

"Quit it you two," Crystal said but kept looking out the window.  He shook his head at his sister.  She had insisted on coming to this tournament.  He was on par with her right now, or at least, she was allowing him to think that but then of course, everyone else wanted to enter as well.

He was thankful that not everyone was entering.  That would have been a zoo. It just wouldn't have been as fun, without defeating a few people that thought he was a little weakling.  He knew that he looked older than 10 but he still looked like a kid.

"But…" Topaz tried but Crystal just waved her hand at him and ignored that pouty expression on his face.  "Go bound off the wall somewhere else will you?" she said and continued to stare out the window.

He shook his head at his sister.  She was so weird.  She wouldn't tell anyone who they were looking for.  All she would say was, "I will know him, when I see him."  So comforting.

Flint was in the room as well, waiting to go out and test for the preliminaries.  He looked at Topaz with the same level of annoyance as he felt.  Even thought Flint was older than him by 8 years, he considered him his best friend.  He had become a serious guy in the past years.  He was a little over protective of Flare at times.  She didn't need anyone to protect her.  She was strong enough to take care of herself.  Flint had told him once that he couldn't bare to be without her and that he just about lost her once and he would not allow it to happen again.

That was why she was in the stands with the other adults.  She allowed him to be that protective.

Then there was Cyrus who was looking out the window with Crystal.  Cyrus was entering the tournament, despite Soyna nearly forbidding him.  (The argument had been fun to watch)  It had been Goten that finally convinced her to let him do it. Cyrus was huge and could hold his own in any battle as far as he was concerned.  The guy was a brick house.  He couldn't go gold, but then, he didn't really need to.  He just seemed to have the strength in him.  He had his green hair tied back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck.  The size of him was imposing enough.  He even had a bit of stubble on his face when he forgot to shave and he forgot to shave a lot.

None of the adults were entering.  Well, everyone but Goten.  Goten after all was now the reigning champion.  The only reason for that was because he didn't have to fight Soyna, who has told him many a time(and proved it) that she could still kick his butt.  He was pretty sure he could beat Goten now.  Yeah, he was stronger now but he could go to level 4 now.  A surprise that he couldn't wait to show Crystal.  All the other adults just said that they had their turns at tournaments.  He was surprised that grandpa didn't want to enter.  All Vegeta said was that it was time for the younger ones to step forth.  Even though he could see Goku wanting to enter he did not.  He hoped he didn't turn out like that when he got old.

There were a couple of guys from Goten's gym that were entering and he was pretty sure they would qualify but he was not worried about them.

He was worried about who the hell they were supposed to be looking for.  Crystal wouldn't give him any description of the guy that they were supposed to be looking for!

"Garnet?"

He looked to see Gem calling him from the door.  She looked so much like mom now, but in a scary way.  Of course, she didn't dress anything like mom, in her little black mini skirt and black belly top… fashion sense from Crystal…and her hair in this remarkable straight style that gave her a goth look with her pale skin.  Gag.  Of course, the big clunky boots she wore with it, didn't help.  He didn't know why dad allowed her to dress like that?

"What?"  he snapped at her.

She screwed her face up into an angry look.  Great.  All he needed was to get her mad at him.

"I don't know if I should tell you now." She said and stood there with her hands on her hips.  "Apologize!"

"For what?  What do you want?  I am trying to get prepared for the tournament here!"

Topaz started to bound around again and announcing that he was going to enter the tournament.  He would deal with the little pest later.

She took a few steps forward and made definite stamps with her feet.  "Well, Mr. Grumpy.  I thought you would like to know that Cara is here."

He pulled himself off the wall and uncrossed his arms.  Cara?  Here?

"Cara?"  Topaz picked up the name, "Is she the one with the long yellow hair?"  he took a swat at his brother and he bounced away.  "and the violet eyes!  And the butt…."  Topaz ran off laughing as he sent a few energy blasts in his direction.

"Yeah, I believe that is the one," Gem said with an amused look on her face and her hands firmly behind her back.  "So apologize!"

"Okay.  I'm sorry already," he sighed.  "Thanks for telling me."  He ran his hand through his hair.  Did it look okay?  Damn.  Why was he wearing the black gi?  He should have brought the green one, or even the blue one.

Gem pulled her arms from behind her back.  "I brought the blue one."  She said with a smile.

He couldn't help but blush as she handed it to him.

"You are to young to fall in love."  He looked to see Grandpa Vegeta had joined them.  He limped as he walked into the room.  His leg always seemed to be hurting him lately.  He would never tell him how he hurt it and it bugged him at times. "Keep your head straight in the arena."  He didn't say anything else as he went over to the window where Cyrus and Crystal were spying on the crowd and pointing to the people that were already trying to get entered.  He wished he had known his grandfather before his grandmother, (that he would never know)  they say he was a different man.  He didn't see anything wrong with his grandfather and strived to be like him.

He blushed further.

Gem laughed at him.  She was the only one of his siblings that he could really talk too.  Even out of his parents.   He could always talk to Gem, even though, she could be flaky, but she was better than the rest.

"Go change.  She will be sitting with me," She said and turned on her heel and left the room.  "And I won't introduce her to dad as your future wife."

He glared at her.

"That's my job," Topaz said with a goofy grin.

He refrained from wanting to strangle his little brother and just smiled at him.  "I hope I fight you in the first round."

Topaz just stuck out his tongue and left the room.

…………….

There were 16 pairings.  He was rather disappointed that he was not paired up with Topaz yet.  He wanted to shut his over eager little mouth up.

He blushed as he looked up at the crowd to see the adults all cheering them on.  Goku sitting there looking as if he were going to jump out of his seat next to his fragile great grandmother ChiChi sitting back and talking with Bra.  Vegeta sat behind Bra and beside his granddaughter Violet and his grandson, Boxer.  He was not much of a figher at all and seemed to be taking after Raymond.  He was quite a nerd.

Gohan and Videl were sitting with Fry and his new girlfriend.  Maybe she was the one.  She was a little ditzy in his mind, but each to their own.  Benot was there with his wife and their new little one.  Rose was holding the small little ball with pale blue hair.  They named the kid Bulma.  So nostalgic.  Legen was there also with his girl.  He was going to enter but then he said that he would have to break the date with her.

He was never going to let a woman control him like that.

Then there was Junior sitting with Marron on his lap.  Gag.  Those two were always so mushy.  She was pregnant right now and her stomach was huge.  You would think they would cut that stuff out!

The only ones he couldn't see in the crowd was Goten and Soyna, but being the reigning champion, he was sure that he was up in the suite and getting ready to come down and make the great speech about how he was looking forward to the championship fight with whomever come through the turret.

He really wanted it to be him.  He wanted to show his uncle how much he had improved.

Then there was his mom and dad.  Dad in his pressed suit and mom in her best dress.  Gem was sitting beside them and Dad… Oh man… dad was questioning Cara!  Great.  Worse, mom was talking with Cara's mom.  He groaned.  She wasn't here just because of him, even though he did ask her to come watch him fight.  Her brother was in the tournament as well.  He was thankful that he wasn't paired with her brother on the first round.  Carl looked tough, he had even seen him fighting in Goten's gym, but he was nowhere near as strong as they are.  He wouldn't want to defeat him to easily… Cara may not like him then.

He looked at the line up list.

      1   Cyrus.  ( he was happy to be in the first place and had an eager smile for the audience.  Hell, he even had his own little cheering section of girls who were oohing and awing about him…gag!  He encouraged it too!  Just like his father did!)

      2    Bolo (a round dark skinned man with no hair that looked like a real creep.  Cyrus would finish him up real quick.)

      3   Super Wolf.  (He couldn't belief the silly costume on the guy)

      4   Tiger.  (How appropriate.  A cat and dog fight.)

      5   Garnet.  (He had really wanted to beat his brother.  He would enjoy putting him in his place… again)

      6   Neko  (a young dark haired man that looked and acted like he was a military man.)

      7    Flint  (He hoping to fight his father in the final bout.  He was hoping one day to take over the gym from his father.)

      8   Marius (an annoying blond man with a flashy smile and a cheering group of women that really need to raise their standards)

      9  Topaz.  (He was still overly happy about being allowed to compete.)

      10  Lucien  (another guy from Goten's gym.  He had shown great promise and even recently had learned how to fly.  He thought that he worked there now.)

      11  Marsha  (the only other girl in the tournament.  A big girl with long braids draping down her back.  She reminded him of one of those Nordic opera singers. Rather scary, actually.  It was odd that both girls ended up being pared up.  Marsha did not like the look of Crystal in her snug spandex outfit and loose sweater that she wore over top of it.)

      12  Crystal.  (She sure looked calm but he knew her better than that.  She was looking at every guy in the tournament and she was chewing her nails.  She was nervous.  He wished she would give in a clue for what they were supposed to be looking for.  It had to be the guys in Neko, Broots, Jones, Brandon or Marius)

      13  Brandon.  (A tall thin man that looked uncomfortable.  He kept looking at his watch.  He wouldn't last long.  He didn't even look like a fighter!)

      14  Carl.  (Cara's brother didn't look that bad at all.   He was eyeing Crystal a little bit, but then, all the guys were doing that.  Sickos.)

      15 Jones  (He was a creepy looking guy with long black hair and pale eyes that gave him the shivers.  He was the only guy _not_ looking at Crystal.)

       16 Broots (this guy was very into how Cyrstal looked.  Man.  He hoped that adult hood didn't make him turn into a slobbering idiot.)

Goten came out with Soyna on his arm.

The crowd cheered and Goten waved.  Soyna just held onto the other arm.  Goten also had a female following and you could see some of the girls glare at Soyna.  Goten didn't seem to see that or care.  Soyna saw it.  She didn't seem to care that much, but she didn't like the idea of another woman with Goten.  He asked her once what he thought of the masses.  She just laughed and said.  "Goten wouldn't cheat on me.  He is to stuck but women can be devious.  I am just making sure.  We have gone through to much together to have it ruined by a tart."

He related to his … well… aunt quite a bit.  She didn't put up with any garbage and went right to the point.  He trained with her a lot.  He never seemed to catch up to her speed, but he was at her strength, he hoped.  She was good at hiding stuff and holding back and not making it seem that way.

Goten started to talk.  The usual speech.  Bla, bla, bla… boring.  He just wanted the tournament to start and was glad when they finally told them to go back to the waiting room and do whatever it is that you need to get read for the fight.

…………………..

Cyrus and Bolo.  Of course Cyrus won.  Bolo was not even a contest for Cyrus.

He tried really really hard not to clobber Topaz.  Crystal finally got him to calm down.

A couple of the contestants were complaining about children being allowed in.  "Well," Crystal said. "If you know your history, you will know that Mr. Satan was the champion for a long time and once his five year old granddaughter, showed how _harmless_ a child could be.  Well.  Pan is _our_ mother, so you better watch your step."  At least it shut them up.

Super Wolf and Tiger took a little while to fight each other but the Tiger dude won.  Super Wolf's costume had been his down fall.  Capes, were not the best thing to fight in.

Garnet was glad to get in the ring.  He could take out the aggression that he had been bottling up inside to attack this Neko guy.  He didn't appreciate his family cheering him all to loudly and annoyingly from the audience.  But he won.  Of course.  He felt kind of bad that he accidentally broke Neko's jaw.  He didn't mean to do that…. He just didn't have much practice fighting humans.  He would have to work on that.

Flint and Marius was another short fight. Flintwas announced as Goten's son.  He had a small crowd of women.  He just started going to the gym with his father on a regular basis now and was considered _new_ in the field of fighting.  If they only knew.  Flare couldn't go gold.  He tried, but he couldn't.  It pissed him off not that he was lacking in skill in anyway, but he wanted to beat at least one his parents. Flint won the battle without much of a struggle.  He blushed at the family cheering him loudly as well.  

Parents could be so embarrassing.

Then Topaz was out of his hair to fight with Lucien.  Lucien knew quite a bit of Topaz tactic's so it lasted for a little bit, but the brat won.  Topaz was stronger and they even put on a little bit of a flight show, but that was where Lucien lost it all.   Topaz was a much better flyer than him.

He had kind of hoped that Lucien would have won.

Would have taught the brat a lesson.

Then Marsha and Crystal were up.  Crystal was blowing kisses to the crowd to her large amount of male fans.  I wanted to puke.  Gag.  Marsha did a very scary rushing attack.  Very scary rushing attack but Crystal wasn't phased at all.  He was pretty sure it would have startled him, but she just rolled Marsha off her hip and threw her out of the ring.  Her fan's cheered.  Gag!

"Are you all like this?"  It was that Brandon fellow.  He was looking a little pale as he watched her do her little arm waves and kisses to the crowd.

"What do you mean," Garnet asked him.

"So flippant about fighting?"  Brandon said.  He looked a little startled.

"What?  Do you want us to be serious about it?"  He chuckled as he remembered one of his grandfather's comments.  "We like this planet and don't really want to destroy it right now."

The poor guy sure paled at that comment.

He had to cover his mouth to hide his smile.

Then Brandon when out with Carl.  Garnet was curious to see how well Carl would do in this tournament, not just because he was Cara's brother… well, maybe that was the reason.

Crystal was watching the fight with the same level of curiosity.  He had forgotten about the fact that there were supposed to be looking for someone.  Was one of them the guy that she was talking about?

"Is he out there?"  He said behind her shoulder causing her to jump slightly as she did that.  She glared at him briefly but then looked at the fight where Carl and Brandon were circling each other.

"I don't know.  I think so," she said and chewed on her nails.  He grabbed her hand from her mouth.

She looked at him startled.  "You are so nervous."

She let out a sigh and looked back to the ring.  "I have dreamt about this for 3 years now.  3 long years.  I don't know if I am ready for this."  She licked her lips as the fight began.  Brandon was stronger than he looked.  So was Carl.

"This guy isn't a threat, right?"  He asked.

"Well, he could be." Crystal said.  She let out a sigh.  "I hate it when my dreams are vague like that.  It took me so long to get over…" she stopped herself when she realized that she was talking to her little brother and flushed.

Cyrus was over his shoulder now as well and he was looking at Crystal with concerned eyes.  "Are you sure he was supposed to show up here?"

"Of course!"  She said.  "He'll show himself!"

She turned back to the fight and went on chewing her nails.

Disgusting.

……………..

The second round of things.

Cyrus easily defeated Tiger.

Garnet didn't have too much trouble with Flint. He was much faster, not stronger, but he had a huge speed increase over him.  Flint accepted his defeat as he was thrown out of the ring but he still wasn't happy about it.

 Topaz was pouting about loosing to Crystal and complaining that it wasn't a fair that he got paired up with her.  And Brandon won his battle with the weirdo Broots.  Broots also got a slap from Crystal as he was trying to get some sympathy over loosing the battle.   

Garnet enjoyed that.

The attention was drawing closer to Brandon now.  Crystal and Cyrus were talking amongst themselves.  A conversation that he was not allowed in.

Brandon was looking nervous.

He should be.  He was fighting Crystal next.

………..

The third round.

Garnet nursed his wounds.  Cyrus gave him a sound beating and had nearly destroyed the ring in the process.  It didn't help to have his mom yell down that he did his best.  It was so humiliating and Cara had witnessed it all.  He couldn't crawl under a rock soon enough.

He really thought he could beat Cyrus.  He wasn't sure if he could beat Crystal, but he really thought that he could beat Cyrus.

"This should be interesting," Cyrus said as he helped him out of the ring.  "Brandon and Crystal should be fighting now."

"What the hell is going on?" he asked.  He didn't care if he was rude.  He lost.  He was mad and humiliated and now, he didn't want to be left in the dark!

Cyrus wasn't upset at his rude mouth.  (if mom had heard him, he surely would have slapped the back of his head.  She complained about his _attitude_ being to much like Vegeta's)  He smiled at the thought.

"They will be asking for our assistance soon.  At least that is what her dreams have been telling and… well… your sister has been having dreams about having a boyfriend as sappy as that sounds."  Cyrus said.

He spoke before he thought about it.  "She is such a tease.  She doesn't even date and now she is looking for a boyfriend."  She heard him and glared at him as she walked to the arena.  He would pay for that comment later.

Cyrus laughed.  "That is the reason she doesn't date.  She already knows how it is going to turn out."

He never thought of that.  That would be so annoying.

He looked at the Brandon fellow.  He needed their help for something and he was going to end up dating Crystal.  Dad would not like that.  He was happy that Crystal wasn't seeing anyone.  He had enough trouble with Gem's love life and the guy's constantly calling the house.  Brandon didn't look like that bad of a guy.  Nervous and… hey… he was wearing and energy booster on his arm!  That wasn't a watch!

Cyrus shook his head as if he had read his thoughts.

Damn.

Boosters were not good things.

………..

Brandon lost.  He was doing pretty good until his watch was mysteriously broken.  Aka, a booster.

Then he was nothing but a flesh puddle (he like that image) at her feet.  She helped him out of the stadium to the doctor (Raymond) as they prepared the ring for the big fight between Cyrus and Crystal.

"You knew about the booster the whole time and yet you let me use it?" he asked as Raymond was sticking up a cut on his arm.

"Yup," she said and sat there looking as if she were going to fall over.  Could she show more cleavage?  Gag me!  She was turning all sappy.  It was rather sickening.  It was like watching mom and dad!

"Why?"

"There is no way you could have defeated me without it.  You are not much of a fighter, are you?"  Crystal said.  He wasn't offended but let out a sigh.  Did he blush?  Gee, whiz there pretty lady… man… if he wasn't so curious about the guy he would have left the room.

"I was supposed to be a way to test your strength out.  To see if you were actually still as strong as you were when… well, when you defeated Krad and Drak and Ligh.  They were skilled fighters and never returned from this sector."  Brandon said.  "They may have not been the best leaders, but we were safe from other invaders."

Cyrus sighed deeply.  "You want our help?"  It really wasn't a question; it was more of a fact.

"We… my planet…"  He was looking right at Crystal and his eyes were doing that sparkling thing.  Garnet rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut.  He would grumble about it later.  It looked like there would be that chance.  "…We had a truce with the Wodah's.  Drak and Krad left most of our people alone and used the planet as a sort of base.  We were in the center of his empire, but… without them, were surrounded by people that want our home."

"They sent you as the ambassador of your people?"  Garnet couldn't help it.  The guy was acting weird.  So was Crystal.  Crystal was acting like a bubbly girl!  Ew!

He got a glare from everyone.

Feel the tension.  Like that was going to bother him.

"We are not really fighters.  We are better at the strategy of things.  My father was an advisor to Krad.  He did not return from this planet.  I was the nearest thing to a leader that our people had.  We are not strong without the boosters.  That is why I came here.  You are the only warriors that have had any success of defeated them and thought that maybe… you could help us rid of the other enemies that want our planet."  Brandon sighed.

Crystal gave him a sweet smile.

An announcement came from the arena.  It was time for Cyrus and Crystal to fight.

"Well, we are up," Cyrus said.

Brandon looked startled that they were leaving.

Crystal smiled and nodded her head.  "We will talk on this later… I have to beat up Cyrus first."

"In your dreams."  

They laughed and started to walk to the arena.

"No going gold!"  Cyrus said.

"Won't need too," Crystal rebutted.

"Hey!"

"Well, level 4 isn't gold!"

They were out of earshot now.  Brandon looked like he was a deer stuck in headlights.

"What?  They can't leave the tournament unfinished.  There has been to much of that in the past years,"  Garnet said.  "And the ring isn't totally destroyed yet."

He got a dirty look from Raymond.  "You know, you spend to much time with Vegeta."

Garnet took it as a compliment.

………………………………..

**_One more chappy….Soyna_**


	41. Ending

**41**

Ending 

He had not visited his parent's graves in a long time and he felt a little bit guilty for not.

Trunks laid his hands on each of the tombstones.  He let his fingers rest in the dents that his father made a long time ago in the stone.  His fingers were bigger.

Vegeta had been dead for a long time now.  10 years now.  He died proud and in battle, the way he wanted to die.

He still missed him and his mother though.  I guess you never get over that, but he had been so busy with his family and Bra's and the company.

But now, he was retired, his youngest boy, Topaz was now the president of the company.   Crystal was not even on the planet anymore, even though she did visit often, with that Brandon fellow that they helped out so long ago.  Garnet had joined her on that planet when he was eighteen and had not really looked back.

He was a fighter to the core and that is what he did there.  Train people and protect them.  It would be a while before he ever settled down.

His little Gem… he sighed and shook his head.  She was on her second marriage now.  She was mad at him over a little incident with her first husband and wouldn't talk to him anymore, but the jerk deserved it.  He cheated on her and he deserved to be scared a little bit.  She had a daughter in her first marriage and he could understand why she was upset.  He didn't want his granddaughter to be upset over loosing her father completely.

Life was just so complicated.

He sighed heavily and looked to the heavens.

It would have been easier to just be a fighter.  But that is not how life worked.  He wouldn't have changed a thing.

He still had his wife and his health and his friends.  He thought that now that he was retired he would go and find his son Garnet and get to know him again.  He was a man now and he never really knew the man that he had become.  Pan had suggested it.  She missed him too.

He was seriously considering it.  He never thought that he would leave earth again.  He had thought he had finished his traveling with the grand tour and the trip he had taken with Goten.

He would miss earth while he was gone, but then, earth would always be there.

They were the protectors now.  The ones people went to when a tyrant was trying to take over part of the universe or a planet.

No one messed with the saiyians anymore.

………………….

Gohan sat marking papers at his desk.  His eyes were getting sore.  He leaned back in the chair for a moment and closed them.

He opened then and found his eyes fixed on to a picture of Videl.  It was taken on their last anniversary together.

He missed her a lot.

She had only died a year ago.  He was glad that it was quick, but they had been able to say goodbye properly before she passed.  He was very thankful that Pan and Fry were around to keep his head straight.  He would have never come out of that depression if it wasn't for them.

Fry moved him and his family in with him after her passing, so that he wouldn't be lonely.  At first he said that it wasn't necessary, but he was glad that he did.  Pan's family was all grown up.  Fry's was just starting and it was nice having kids, even as destructive as they are, around the house.  It kept him thinking about how things were when his kids were young.

Pan had told him that her and Trunks were planning on going to visit Crystal and Brandon and try to find Garnet.  He was going to miss Pan coming over and doting on him.

He couldn't forbid her to go.  He didn't want her to go and he almost asked if he could go too, but then, it would be intruding upon the couple.

He let out a sigh pulled the glasses back down on his nose and preceded to mark more papers.  They had to be done for tomorrow.

……………………………

Goten panted and stared at the ceiling.  The tiles were looking pretty bad.  He would have to replace them soon.  Soon he could see Flint looking down at him with that smile on his face that reminded him of his mother.

"I beat you dad," he said and offered his hand.

"Yeah.  You did." He said and took his son's hand.

Flint may have had a slow start in the power department but he was sure making up for it now.  "So," Flint said.  "When can I take over the gym?"

He laughed.  He always told Flint that once he beat him, he could take over the gym.  It looked like he was going to have to retire soon.

"You have to beat me at the tournament and then you can have that title," he smiled and saw the frown on his face.  He laughed at his son and clamped his hand on his shoulder.  "Just to make it legal and all."

"It will be a fair fight right?  Not sandbagging it.  I want to win fair and square in the arena."  He said.  He had that pride in him.

"No holding back," Goten said and rubbed his right shoulder.  The kid, who really wasn't a kid anymore, really did a number on it.

Flint seemed happy with that.

Goten felt old.

………………………

Cyrus had never seen his mother squirm so much.  It was quite amusing.  All over a question of what made her fall in love with Goten.  He had just come to pick up his boy when he heard him ask her the question.  He watched with great curiosity.

The wide eyes of his youngest boy, Loki, looked up to her, waiting for an answer.

Cyrus knew the answer was not easy one.

"Well," she said.  "Your grandfather was quite persistent."

"That's how you get a girl.  You be persistent?"  Loki said and rubbed his small chin.  

"Well, he wasn't just persistent, he was always there for me and …" she sighed, "He was willing to wait for be to be ready for him."

"Ready?"  Loki looked confused.  Was that how he looked when he was little?  He was told all the time that Loki looks just like him.

"When I met him…"  her voice trailed.  He knew this wasn't easy for her.  How could she explain that she had a husband that betrayed her and she never thought she would love anyone again.  "When I met your grandfather, I wasn't quite ready for a relationship and I did everything in my power to push him away short of killing him."  She said and paused for a second.

"So he stalked you?"  Loki asked.

He refrained from laughing.

"Sort of, but in a good way," she said and shook her head.  "We became friends first."

"Friends.  Can a boy and girl just be friends?"  Loki asked.  He knew why his son was asking these questions.  There was a girl in his class that he liked.  His uncle Legen and Benot had been asked these same questions and he had to explain a lot of things to him that he shouldn't know about until he was older.

"Yes," she said.  "Shouldn't your father be here soon?"

"Yeah," Loki said.  "So I should be friends with her then."

"Who?"  He smiled brighter.  He was glad that mom had dropped the ball on something.  It was getting annoying when she seemed to know everything ahead of time.

He walked into the room.  Soyna had squirmed enough.

He had never seen his mother look so relieved in his life.

…………………

Junior blinked at his daughter.

Was that his daughter?

"What do you think daddy?" she said in her sweet voice and twirled in the amazing dress.

He was speechless.

Marron piped up with a teary voice.  "It's beautiful Jade.  You couldn't have a better dress for your wedding."

His little girl was really getting married.

God.

"Dad?"

He smiled at his little girl and gave her a huge hug.  "You could look beautiful in anything."  He said.  "Are you happy with it?"

"Oh yes!  I love it!  It's not to much is it?"

It probably was.  "No.  It's fine."  He said.

Bulma came around the corner with her mother wearing a pale blue bride's maid dress that matched her hair.  Benot followed behind with his hands deep in his pockets, Rose, his wife was busy fussing with the hem on the dress.  The women squealed about the dresses and began to talk in wildly high voices that hurt his ears.

The women disappeared into the dressing room again.  He blinked a bit.  His daughter was getting married.  She was a woman.  When did that happen?

Now, he understood what Trunks had been talking about when Gem and Crystal started dating and thinking about guys.  He felt… well… left out.

Benot walked beside him and looked at the closed door.

"I think they all have gone insane.  It must be the perfume they put in the ventilation system."  Benot grumbled.

He smiled at his nephew.

"Well, if it makes them happy." Junior smiled.

"Yeah.  What we do for our kids."  Benot said.

He smiled.  He would do anything for his daughter and he knew Benot felt the same.

………………………

Goku smiled as his granddaughter.  Flare was with her two new children. Twins.  A little boy and a little girl.  They were only a month old.

He was holding the newest little boy.  They both had furry dark brown-red tails and they were the most adorable things he had ever seen in his life.  He was sleeping.  Which he was thankful for.  The little guy was being quite cranky in the last hour or so.  He just wanted to be held.  Flare was holding her little girl.  She looked tired.

The children looked their father.

Well, the guy that he thought was their father.  She had not really announced who the real father was yet.

A real sticking point in the family.  Goten was furious over it.  Soyna just grit her teeth but stood by her daughter.  Flint was ready to kill as soon as he got a name.  Benot and Legen weren't too bad about it, nor was Cyrus.  They figured they would tell them when the time was right.

He didn't even know for sure, but they sure looked like that guy that she had been hanging around with on that Planet Kerlor about ten months ago.  He was a nice guy and all, but he didn't think they were _that_ serious.

He would have done something about it if he had known.

Goku, Flare, and Topaz had met up with Garnet to help safe the planet Kerlor from some demons that tore out of their own dimension barrier.  

The boy, Quinn, had a full head of bright red hair, like his mother, but the blue-green eyes of his father.  He even had two little fangs coming out of his gums already and he was only one month old.  (it was why the breast feeding stop almost immediately and the bottles nipples for the milk were always torn up.)  He even had a slight point to his ears.  Queen had a tuft of the greenish hair that seemed to shine a bit.

Just like her father.

He was sure that that boy was their father.  Who else could it be?  He wanted to ask but he didn't want to pry.

He looked to Flare.

She was crying.

"What's wrong?"  He asked.

She gasped and wiped her eyes.  "I made a mistake," she sniffed.  "I should have told him.  I miss him so much," she said and went into all out tears.  He put down little Quinn in the bassinet and went to her.  He took the sleeping Queen from her arms and placed her beside her brother and then gave his granddaughter a hug and let her cry.

"We could go to him," he finally said as he sobs calmed down a bit.

"How?"  she said.  "I can't just show and say, 'look, we have kids!'."

"I am sure we can get Soyna to watch after your little ones for a while.  We can just, you know, go," he said and brought his fingers to his forehead.  Her eyes flashed with happiness.  

"I forgot about that!"  Flare said.  "But… you don't… you don't know who their father is?"  It was more of an accusation than a statement.

He just grinned.  "Well, they do look a bit like that guy, what's his name, Kip?  Yeah.  He was a good kid."

She flushed.

Bingo.

"So.  Do you want to go?"  he asked.

She sighed.  "He was supposed to marry this girl that he was betrothed too a long time ago.  I know he wasn't happy about it but he couldn't disappoint his father."  She looked at the two sleeping children and looked like she was going to cry again.

"You can go check it out," he said.  "I know that he liked you."  Goku said with a smile.  Yeah, Kip nearly fell out of his chair when he first saw her walk into the room.  He really liked her.

Well, I guess that had been obvious.

"I'll go talk to mom," and she was gone from the room.

He smiled and began to rock the bassinet.  Kids should not grow up without their fathers.

…………………………………..

"Quit it!"

Garnet looked to his sister and frowned.  "What?"

"You got to stop beating yourself up over that!  It wasn't your fault!  You couldn't do anything to stop it.  You were hurt too, remember."  Crystal said and glared at him.  She had her arms crossed and was trying to look imposing.  She knew what she was talking about but didn't want to talk about it with her.  It was about Grandfather's death.  The thought of his death never left him.  He had been there.  Crystal had been there.  They all had been there.  He couldn't stop it and he had lost control.

He could not forgive himself for that day.

"Grandpa knew what he was doing!"  Crystal said.  "He had to take care of some older demons from his past in the fight as well.  There were people that he used to fight along side of there.  He had to face that part of his life all over again and it was rather hard for him."

He stood up and tried to walk away.

He knew that Crystal had tried to warn Vegeta if he went into that battle that he could die.  She didn't tell him until later.  He would have made sure that his grandfather was still around, if he could have known more about what they were facing.

Crystal was blocking his exit.

"Garnet.  Don't let that destroy you," she said with an oddly concerned tone.  He looked down at her and met her eyes.  He was much taller than she was now, not that his height ever threatened her.  They were still at Par with each other when it came to fighting.  "He with grandma.  I know that you don't understand all that, but he really loved her and her death, weakened him quite a bit.  She was his reason to fight.  Cyrus could explain it to you better.  He explained why he could get so hurt like he did when we fought Drak.  It is all confusing and dealing with time traveling stuff.  Quite strange indeed but…"  she let out a sigh.  "You should take a visit to earth.  You need to be reminded of home."

"I would rather not."  Garnet growled.  Earth was nothing but pain.  Old and new pain.  He would never admit to her that he missed it and had not thought about earth or … or her every day that he was gone.  But she didn't understand how his life had to be.  How he had to fight.

He looked away from her.  He hated her when she hit the right sensitive spots she always did that!  He never understood why he kept coming to this planet anyway.  He had tones of offers to stay at other places.  He had thought that he could stay on that planet with Kip.  It was nice there but… it was so like earth and Kip was having enough problems of his own to deal with.

"Mom and Dad miss you," she said.

He knew that.  He had not seen them since the funeral and he had changed so much since then.

"Just go back to visit them for a bit.  It would do you some good.  Things will be calm for a little while yet," Crystal said.

He hated her knowing what was going to happen next.  The oracle of the universe or whatever they called her now.  Everyone knew about her and the dreams that she would have and she was pretty much in charge of making sure that the universe at least the parts that they knew about stayed at peace.

He heard his new title that he knew was still out there, but didn't like all that much.  Guardian of the universe.  A little too pretentious for his liking, but that is what they called him.

He also got, Destroyer.  He didn't mind that one too much.   He knew that he probably should but then, he did destroy things.

It was what he did.

It was why Cara…why she…

"You think about her all the time, don't you?" Crystal asked.

He forgot that she was still standing in front of him.

"Quit that!"  He said.  "I hate it when you do that!"

"I am just worried about you.  I don't want to see you wandering forever," she said.

"I _like_ wandering!"  he snapped at her and pointed a finger roughly at her.  "You just worry about yourself.  Leave me alone.  I can handle my own life!"

He pushed her back.

"I know you can Garnet, but don't throw your family away.  We are nothing, if we don't all stick together."  Crystal called after him.

He hated it when she was right but it wasn't like he wanted to hear it.  He didn't want to hear it!  "Damn it!  I hate it when you do that!  I hate it that you know everything!  I hate that so much."

She didn't move.  He was used to people being scared of him.  He was used to people cowering when he hovered about them.  Crystal did not do that.  She never cowered in front of anyone.  

She was just standing there smiling.  Being annoying.  Being his big sister.  "Fine!"  He snapped at her.  "I'll go back home!"  He raised two fingers to his forehead and was pleased to see a startled look on her face.  Yeah, grandpa Goku taught him how to do the instant Transmission last time they fought together.  He said it would be easier for him to wander the universe with it.  "I'll go back and visit mom and dad!  Happy.  Happy?"

She raised her hand and was about to ask a question.  He was sure of it but he was gone before she could say it.

Of course, he was surprised that he wasn't in front of his parent's house.  He didn't know what house he was in front of until the front door opened.

Cara.

………………

Cyrus sighed heavily as Loki finally calmed down.  He never thought having kids could be so tiring.  He now understood what he mother felt with all of them constantly going on, when they were little.

Loki was watching a TV show.  But that is not what he was thinking of.

He was thinking of the two that he left behind.  The _other_ Crystal and the _other_ Benot.  It took him awhile but he always seemed to know what was happening with them.  He never forgot his travels with them like he thought he would.  He never forgot the times that crumbled when Vegeta did not leave this one.  He kept the memories and the knowledge that he acquired from all that.

He only told Crystal about that and mentioned it in passing to Vegeta.  Crystal understood a bit but Vegeta just shook his head at him and called him a crazy kid.

It had it's advantages.

He could see battles that they could be encountering a bit clearer that Crystal sometimes did.

He could also see the battle strategy's that they should use.  Of course, her husband, Brandon, was very good at that and they almost always thought of the same thing but it was good to have.

He sometimes wished that he didn't know what they were doing.  He hated leaving them behind.  He missed them quite a bit at times.  They had shared things that he would never share with them here.

But then…

He sighed and looked at his boy kicking his feet and humming along with the show.

Things were better for everyone here.

And with the power of the dragon, partially given to his son, the universe would be safe for a long time.

………………………………….

The family that fought together remained strong and kind and kept the peace in the known universe.  Kept the evil and injustice at bay and kept the strength of the Saiyian's going.

But the shadows were always there.

There was always something that would threaten the peace.

It would never truly end.

…………FIN……………..

I hoped you enjoyed this tale…. It took me awhile to finish the ending to get it this way… I wrote a much much darker ending but it didn't really go all that well.  

_Thank you all for reading._

_Soyna_


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